WOEMS. 207 



are forced to lead for man's comfort, were driven 

 into the leech-ponds, to be fed upon by these 

 noxious worms ! Such, readers ! is the dis- 

 gusting practice that has been followed in France 

 for many years. This unwonted and unequalled 

 cruelty constitutes a lasting disgrace to the Govern- 

 ment which sanctions it. Very recently, however, 

 the scientific men who form at the present time the 

 most honourable portion of French society, and the 

 most enlightened portion of its Senate, have begun 

 to look with abhorrence at this frightful cruelty, 

 and are endeavouring to prevent it. The Socidte 

 Protectrice des Animaux, a most worthy institution, 

 established in Paris, has awarded its silver medal to 

 M. Borne, of Clairefontaine, and its bronze medal 

 to Messrs. Harreaux, Sauve, and Laigniez, for 

 having abandoned this barbarous method of feeding 

 leeches upon the blood of living horses, and for 

 having constructed new marshes or leech-ponds, 

 where the worms are fed with blood and other 

 animal matters taken from the slaughter-houses. 



For some years past, Messrs. Guenisseau and 

 Fermond have been occupied with the culture of 

 the leech; and M. Auguste Jourdier has recently 

 published an interesting little work, entitled " Sur 

 THirudiculture," * in which he treats of the rearing 

 and artificial breeding of H. medicinalis. 



* One vol. in 8vo, Paris, 1856. 



