EGGS OF THE SKATE-LEECH. 271 



pedicle, surmounted by a spheroid, and supported by a 

 kind of sole or sucker (PL V. fig. 3, a, b) . The capsule is 

 altogether about three lines in length, and the sphe- 

 roid, which contains the embryo or young leech, about 

 two lines in diameter. Such capsules are firmly ag- 

 glutinated by the sole to the substance whereon they 

 are deposited. They are originally white, or of the 

 faintest carnation, of a fine, soft downy aspect, with 

 the neck (stalk) orange or yellowish. They darken 

 gradually from the time of their production, and in 

 four or five days the original white is converted to 

 olive-green or dull wax-yellow. They are produced 

 singly, free from all gelatinous matter. 



This capsule is a very singular object, quite pecu- 

 liar, insomuch that it bears no resemblance to the egg 

 of any other animal. It consists of a coriaceous, 

 tough, thick integument full of tenacious, album enous, 

 brownish matter. It contains, when mature, only a 

 single embryo, w r hich penetrates the lateral umbo in 

 issuing forth to the light. At this period the young 

 leech is about an inch in length. 



The propagation of this species is not strictly con- 

 fined to any season, though belonging chiefly to the 

 summer. 



The Skate-leech is most patient of abstinence. 

 It is extremely voracious in the natural state, but 

 rejects all subsistence when in confinement, although 

 in such a condition it survives a long time. 



