LEM 
white ; and both ends are dilatable, and equally 
tenacious. 
LEECH, TUBERCULATEDi the Hirudo 
Muricataof Linnfeus. This creature, called al- 
fo the Hirudo Marina, inhabits the lea, adheres 
ftrongly to filh, and leaves a black imprefTion on 
the, place. The body, which is taper and rounded 
at the greater extremity, is furniihed with two fnnall 
horns; ilrongly anniilated, and tuberculated on 
the rings; and the tail is dilatable. 
LEECH PINNATED; the Hirudo, orAcus 
Cauda Utrinque Pinnata of Boccone. This 
fingular animal is found adhering to the fides of 
the xiphias, or fword-fifh. It is about four inches 
long; the belly is white and cartilaginous ; the 
place of the head is occupied by a kind of hollow 
fnout, covered with a very hard membrane, and 
differing extremely from the fkin of the belly. 
This fnout is thrutl into the body of the fifh, and 
, with it the blood is extradted. The tail is plumi- 
form; and under it there are two flender filaments 
or fibres, longer than the whole body, by means 
of which, when it is not faftened to the body of 
the filh, it clings to ftones or marine plants, to 
prevent it from being carried away by the impe- 
tuofity of the current; and when it is affixed to the 
body of the filh, thefe ferve to hold it perfedlly 
fteady. 
This creature miferably torments the fword-fifh; 
but it is in it's turn equally annoyed by an animal 
which preys on it's blood and juices: this is a fort of 
loufe, of a brownifh colour, and nearly about the 
fize of a pea, which always attends it. So far as 
has yet been obferved, this Leech has never been 
found but on the fword-fifh ; nor has this loufe been 
difcovered to moleft any other creature befides 
th's Leech. 
LEIOBATUS. An Ariftotelian appellation 
for a fpecies of ray-fifli ; called by feveral of the 
ancients bos marinus; and by the moderns, 
Irevi raia, or raia oxyrynchus. It is very ac- 
curately diftinguifhed by Artedi under the name 
of the variegated ray, v/ith ten prickly tubercles 
on the middle of the back. 
LEMMING; the Mus Lemmus of Linnjeus, 
This animal was firft mentioned by Olaus Mag- 
nus; but, after the rnoft accurate refearches, is 
thus juftly defcribed by Wormius. * It has,' fays 
he, ' the figure of a mouie, but the tail is fhorter, 
and the body about five inches long. The hair is 
fine, and fpotted with various colours. The 
fore-part of the head is black, and the hind -part 
yellowifh; the neck and fhoulders are black; and 
the reft of the body is reddifh, marked with fmall 
black fpots of different figures, as far as the tail, 
which is about half an inch long, and covered 
with blackilh yellow hairs. Neither the figure 
nor the order of the fpots are the fame in every in- 
dividual. Round the mouth are feveral ftiff hairs 
in the form of whifkers, of which fix on each 
fide are longer and ftiffer than the reft. The 
aperture of the mouth is fmall ; and the upper lip 
Js divided, as in the fquirrel. From the upper jaw 
proceed two long,fharp, and fomewhat crooked cut- 
ting-teeth, the roots of which penetrate as far as 
the orbits of the eyes ; two fimilar teeth in the un- 
der jaw correfpond with thofe above; and on each 
fide are three grinders, fituated at Ibme diftance 
from the cutting-teeth : the firft of the grinders 
is large, and compofed of four lobes; the fecond 
of three lobes; and the third is much fmaller. 
The tongue is pretty large, and extends to the ex- 
LEM 
tremlty of the cutting-teeth. From the remaiiis 
of herbs and ftraw found in it's throat, we are in- 
clined to think it is a ruminating animal. The 
eyes are fmall and black; and the ears recline; 
on the back. The fore-legs are very Ihort : the 
feet are covered with hair, and armed with five 
fhort crooked claws; the middle one very long; 
and the fifth, refembling a fmall thumb or a cock's 
fpur, fituated very high on the leg. The whole 
belly is whitifli, inclining to yellow.' 
Thefe Lemmings, called alfo Lapland mar- 
mots, v/hich are natives of Scandinavia, are often 
feen to pour down in myriads from the northerri 
mountains; and, like a peftilence, to deft roy all 
the produdions of the earth. In wet feafons, all 
of the rat kind are known to propagate more than 
in dry; but this fpecies in particular is fo affifted 
in multiplying by the moifture of the weather, 
that the inhabitants of Lapland really believe that 
thefe animals drop from the clouds; and that the 
fame magazines which furnifh hail and Ihow, pro- 
duce the Lemmings alfo: in fa6t, after long rains, 
they fet forward from their native mountains, and 
(feveral millions in a troop) overfpread the whole 
plains. They generally move in regular bodies, 
advancing by night, and halting by day: they 
often extend a whole fquare mile ; and are fo very 
thick, that the hindmoft frequently touches it's 
leader. In vain do the wretched inhabitants refift 
them, or attempt to ftop their progrefs; theyftili 
continue to move forwards; and, though thoulands 
are deftroyed, others as quickly fucceed, and render 
their deftruftion impradticable. They ufually 
march in lines, about three feet from each other;, 
and exa6lly parallel ; their courle is always from 
the north-weft to the fouth-eaft, and regularly con- 
ducted from the beginning. Wherever their mo- 
tions are direfted, nothing can impede them; 
they proceed ftraight forward, impelled by fome 
unaccountable inftinft; and, from the time they 
firft fet out, never once meditate a retreat. If a 
lake or river happens to interrupt their progrefs, 
they immediately take the water, and fwim acrofs. 
A fire, or a deep well, does not turn them out of 
their dire£lion; they boldly force their way through 
ihe flame, or precipitate themfelves into the well, 
the farther fide of which they are fometimes feen 
afcending. If they are interrupted by a boat in 
croffing a river, they never evade it, but mount di- 
redlyupit's fides; and the boatmen, who know how 
vain refiftance would be in fuch a cafe, calmly fuffer 
themtopafs over without receiving any damage. Ifa[ 
ftack of hay or corn obftru6ts their paffage, in- 
ftead of climbing over it, they gnaw their way 
through. If ftopped by a houfe, and they can find 
no means of making a paffage in a direft linCy 
they continue there till they die: fortunately, how- 
ever, for mankind, they eat nothing that is pre- 
pared for human fubfiftence; and never enter a 
houfe in order to confume the provifions lodged 
in it, but fubfift entirely on fuch roots and vege- 
tables as they meet with in their way. In croffing 
a meadow, they deftroy every appearance of viri- 
dity, and render it perfectly defolate. If any of 
the human fpecies imprudently ventures to attack 
one of them, the little animal is no way intimi- 
dated by the difparity of ftrength, but furioufly 
flies at it's opponent, and, making a kind of bark- 
ing noife, refolutely maintains it's hold. If, at 
laft, the leader be forced out of it's line, and fe~ 
parated from the reft of it's kind, it utters aplain- 
tiv« cry, different from that of refentmenti andj 
as 
