Class VI. HIRUDO. LEECH. 69 



GENUS XI. HIRUDO. LEECH. 



Body oblong ; moves by dilating the head and 

 tail, and raising the body into an arched 

 form. 



H. Lin. Sysl. 1079. Gm. Raii insect. 3. 1. Medici- 



Lin. 3095. Gesner pise. 425. nalis. 



Faun. Suee. No. 2079- Medicinal. 



L. with a brown body, marked with six yel- 

 low lines. 



Inhabits standing waters. The best of phle- 

 botomists, especially in hceniorr holds. The 

 practice is as old as the time of Pliny, who 

 gives it the apt name of hirudo sanguisuga. 

 Leeches were used instead of cupping-glasses 

 for persons of plethoric habits, and those who 

 were troubled with the gout in the feet. He 

 asserts, that if they left their head in the wound, 

 as sometimes happened, it was incurable ; and 

 informs us, that Messalinns, a person of consu- 

 lar dignity, lost his life by such an accident.* 



* Lib. xxxii. c. 10. 



