On the Hirudo Australis. 19 



The two descriptions of leech in general demand for blood- 

 sucking are what are termed in Europe the green and the 

 speckled, the latter being always preferred. 



The description given of the former, by acknowledged 

 authorities, agrees nearly with the green leech found here ; 

 whilst the speckled or true medicinal leech of Europe varies 

 in appearance from that of the medicinal leech of Austraha, 

 whilst its capabilities for drawing blood, without causing 

 inflammatory wounds, renders it equal, if not superior, to the 

 one of northern Europe. 



The green leech* is to be found in abundance in most of 

 the swamps and pools, intermixed greatly with those of other 

 genera ; and in some instances the true Australian medicinal 

 leech is also found intermixed, requiring therefore great 

 attention in the sorting of them. 



The best description of the medicinal leech in this country 

 is to be found in the river Murray and its tributaries, and in 

 no one instance have I met with, from these rivers, any 

 description but that of the Hirudo Australis. 



General Chaeactees : * 



Back, dark olive, and sometimes approaching black, with 

 four well marked bright yellow longitudinal lines, quite 

 dorsal, the two outer dorsal lines being much wider than the 

 inner ones. The marginal lines of the back partake of the 

 same color as the belly, which is a deep ochre yellow, occa- 

 sionally intermixed with olive green spots, but generally with- 

 out them. Eyes, at least eight; body, narrow, oval, with 

 about 100 segments ; belly, flat. 



On comparing this with the medicinal leech of northern 

 Europe, it will be observed that it varies somewhat. 



A third kind of leech, often met with, a species of horse- 

 leech, is characterised as follows :* back, light brown umber, 

 with a jet black longitudinal line down its centre, with six 

 scarcely perceptible lines of a slightly darker brown than the 

 back, three on each side of the centre. Belly of the same 

 color as the back. Eyes, ten. The leech, on the whole, oval. 



The plan usually recommended and" adopted by the conti- 

 nental leech gatherers for preservation for a length of time 

 entirely fails in this country. They recommend keeping them 

 in wooden or earthenware vessels half-filled with water, 

 having a layer of turf moss and charcoal at the bottom; 



* Vide plate accompanying Dr. Becker's Notes on Australian leeches in 

 the present Volume. 



c 2 



