766 
OBITUARY. 
“ The Ceylon land-leech is a thin, spare creature, about two 
inches long, and so nimble and flexible as to be able to 
insinuate itself up the legs and beneath the clothing as high 
as the throat. They do not crawl in the manner of our 
innocent medical leech, but plant themselves on one end, 
like a nail sticking out of the ground, and in that attitude 
Match for their prey. When disposed to move, they arch 
their body so as to bring the upper extremity to the earth, 
and advance on the tM'o points by semicircular strides. 
Walking with amazing rapidity, they attack man and horse 
M'ith equal audacity. Laying first hold of the foot, they 
ascend the dress in search of an aperture to reach the skin. 
In travelling through the jungle, hosts of them may be seen 
on the roadsides, Maiting erect for their victims, and lurking 
in the grass. They make cattle their especial prey. It 
happens, says our author, Hhat those persons in the rear of a 
party of travellers invariably fare worst, as the leeches, M arned 
of their approach, congregate M'ith singular celerity. Their 
size is so insignificant, and the Mound they make is so skil¬ 
fully punctured, that both are generally imperceptible, and 
the first intimation of their onslaught is the trickling of the 
blood, or a chill feeling of the leech M'hen it begins to hang 
heavily on the skin from being distended by its repast. 
Horses are driven M'ild by them, and stamp the ground in 
fury to shake them from their fetlocks, to M'hich they hang 
in bloody tassels. The bare legs of the palanquin-bearers 
and coolies are a favorite resort; their hands being too 
much engaged to be spared to pull them off, the leeches 
hang like bunches of grapes round their ankles; and I have 
seen the blood literally flowing over the edge of a European's 
shoe from their innumerable bites. In healthy constitutions, 
the M'ounds, if not irritated, generally heal, occasioning no 
other inconvenience than a slight inflammation and itching; 
but in those Mith a bad state of body, the punctures, if 
rubbed, are liable to degenerate into ulcers, which may lead 
to the loss of the limb or life.’ The coffee-planters, we are 
told, Mear ^leech-gaiters,^ to protect themselves, as far as 
possible, from these cunning and bloodily disposed reptiles.’^ 
OBITUAEY. 
In the monthly Military obituary Me perceive the name 
of John Surtees Stockley, Veterinary Surgeon, first class, 
half-pay Royal Artillery. Mr. Stockley obtained his diploma 
January 17, 1839, London. 
