Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1874 — Land-Leeches. [ARTICLE]

Land-Leeches.

A traveler in Assam, Mr. T. T. Cooper, describes as follows the landleeches which abound in the forests of that country: “Of all the hardships and unpleasant sensations experienced in the Assam jungles none have left a more disagreeable recollection than the attacks, of land-leeches. Often on sitting down 1 could count a dozen of these little animals hurrying from all directions to their prey. In length they are about an inch, while their thickness docs not exceed that of an ordinary sewing needle. Their mode of progression is very curious. Fixing one extremity, by means of its bell-shaped sucker, firmly on a leaf or on the ground, the leech curves itself into an arch, and the other end is then advanced till the creature resembles a loop, again to expand into an arch, but the movement is quicker than words can describe; the rapidity with which they get over the ground is quite startling. As they occasionally rear themselves perpendicularly and sway about from side to side, taking a survey round them in quest of prey, the observer cannot fail to conceive a dread of thg blood-thirsty little creatures. I could never resist watching -them whenever I took a seat. At first they would hold themselves erect, then suddenly, as though they had just discovered my whereabouts, they would throw themselves forward, and with quick, eager strides make toward me. Another kind of leech found in Assam is the hair-leech, so‘ called from its great length and extreme tenuity. It lies in wait in the grass, and as animals feed enters their nostrils and fixes itself firmly in the interior, where it takes up permanent quarters, causing the poor beasts great irritation. It does not appear to attack human beings.” The Assam land-leech is not so dable a pest f however, as the horse-leech of Ceylon. According to Sir Emerspni, Tennent, the Ceylon land-leech: is about

an inch in length, and as fine as a common knitting needle, but capable of distension to the thickness of a quill, and a length of nearly two inches. It can insinuate itself through the meshes of the finest stocking. It is always ready to assail a passing traveler or quadruped. The coffee planters are obliged to wear “leech gaiters” of closely-woven cloth tor protection. “On every twig and grass blade,” says Wood, “ the landleeches sit, stretching out their long bodies toward the coming prey, and hastening after the traveler with direful speed Instinctively they make for the unprotected parts. They crawl rapidly up his clothes, they insinuate themselves into his neck, his coat sleeves and his boots ; and wherever a patch of bare skin can be .found there a small colony of leeches is sure to hang.”