ABRANCHIATE. 467 



Sanguisuga, Sav.(l) 



Or the Leech properly so called, the superior lip of the anterior 

 cup or sucker is divided into several segments; the aperture is trans- 

 verse and contains three javi^s, each edge of which is armed with two 

 rows of very fine teeth, which enables them to penetrate through the 

 skin without causing a dangerous wound. It is marked with ten 

 small points, considered as eyes. 



We all know the medicinal or Common Leech — Hirudo me- 

 dicinalis, L., that useful instrument for the local abstraction of 

 blood. It is usually blackish, with yellowish streaks above, 

 and yellowish with black spots beneath. It is found in all stag- 

 nant waters. The 



H^MOpsis, Sav.(2) 



Differs from the preceding in the teeth of its jaws, which are few 

 and obtuse. 



Hasmop. sanguisorba, Sav.; Hirudo sanguisuga, L., Moq. 

 Tand., pi. iv, f. 1^ Car., pi. xi, f. 7 (The Horse Leach). Much 

 larger, and entirely greenish-black. It is said to cause dan- 

 gerous wounds(3}. In the 



Bdella, Sav.(4) 



There are but eight eyes, and the jaws are completely edentated. 

 Bd. nilotica, Eg. Annel., pi. v, f. 4. Inhabits the Nile. In 

 the 



Nephelis, Sav.(5) 

 There are also but eight eyesj the interior of the mouth has but 



(1) M. de Blainvllle changes this name into jATROBziLa;, For the various 

 medicinal Leeches see the fig. of Messrs Carena, Acad. Turin., t. XXV, pi. xi, and 

 Moquin-Tandon, pi. v. 



(2) This name is changed by M. de Blainville to Htpobdeli,;e. 



(3) There is a singular diversity of opinion with respect to the faculty of draw- 

 ing blood possessed by this animal. Linneeus says tliat nine of them will kill a 

 horse. Messrs Hiizard and Pelletier, on the contrary, in a Memoir, ad hoc, pre- 

 sented to the Institute, and inserted in the Journal de Pharmacie, March 1825, 

 assert that it attacks no vertebrated animal. M. de Blainville thinks this is owing 

 to its having been confounded witli a neighbouring species, the Sangsue noire, 

 which he makes the type of a genus called Pseudobdella, the jaws of which are 

 mere folds of skin without any teeth. I think this fact worthy of examination. 

 Both species devour the Lumbrici with avidity. 



(4) M. Moquin-Tandon changes this name to Limnatis. 



(5) M. de Blainville calls them Erpobdell^e Oken had previously named them 



