282 
NOTE ON LEECHES SENT BY 
DR E. W. G. MASTERMAN FROM PALESTINE. 
By W. A. HARDING, B.A. 
These specimens were preserved in alcohol and contained in three 
bottles a, b and c. 
(a) contained 1 large and 47 small leeches “ out of infested springs 
at Safed, Palestine.” 
(b) contained a leech “ extracted from pharynx of an Arab of 
Jerusalem.” 
(c) contained a leech which had been removed, by means of 
laryngeal forceps, from the vocal cords of a young peasant in Jerusalem. 
All these, as their history led one to expect, proved to be examples 
of Limncitis nilotica Savigny, 1820. 
This leech has often been inaccurately described and confused with 
other species and in determining the specimens before me I have 
followed Professor Blanchard, who alone has given a satisfactory 
diagnosis. 
The following description applies to Dr Masterman’s leeches and 
agrees with Blanchard’s account of Limnatis nilotica : 
Number and arrangement of eyes and of intestinal caeca, and 
position of genital openings, as in Hirudo. Posterior sucker of large 
size. Upper lip of anterior sucker divided on its inferior surface into 
two lobes by a deep longitudinal groove. Jaws covered by papillae and 
provided with numerous sharp teeth. [N.B. Blanchard makes more 
than 100 teeth : I make less than 100.] Inhabits stagnant water, 
particularly drinking places, and invades the throat and nasal fossae of 
man and beast. 
Blanchard gives the colour and size of Limnatis nilotica as follows: 
Dorsal surface reddish-yellow or greenish, generally traversed by 
four black lines and occasionally by a median yellow or green strip. 
Two lateral orange stripes. Length 100—150 mm., breadth 10—15 mm. 
