534 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



special function are mainly two : First, the form of the teeth ; and, 

 secondly, that of the stomach. 



As to the teeth, the grinding ones are reduced to a minimum both 

 as to size and number ; while the two middle or cutting teeth of the 

 upper jaw are of great size, with a sharp cutting edge well fitted to 

 inflict the small incision needful for the animal's nourishment. 



As to the stomach, it presents us with a structure unique in the 

 animal kingdom. Here it is not the pyloric end of the stomach, but 

 the opposite or cardiac end, which is produced into an enormously 

 long pouch, while the opposite or pyloric end is reduced to a mere 

 rudiment the highly-nutritious food (blood) requiring very little 

 digestion, but needing a capacious chamber for its speedy reception. 



Although this is the only bat perfectly organized to live by blood- 

 sucking exclusively, nevertheless it is probable that various other 

 kinds practise blood-sucking as at least one part of their mode of 

 nutrition. 



The late distinguished zoologist belonging to the Zoological So- 

 ciety, Mr. Blyth, has observed this habit in a leaf-nosed bat of India, 

 one belonging to quite another family than that to which the Amer- 

 ican vampire belongs. The bat in question is called Megaderma 

 Lyra. Respecting its habits Mr. Blyth tells us * as follows : 



" Chancing one evening to see a rather large hat enter an out-house from 

 which there was no other egress than hy the doorway, I was fortunate in being 

 able to procure a light, and thus proceed to the capture of the animal. Upon 

 finding itself pursued, it took three or four turns round the apartment, when 

 down dropped what at the moment I supposed to be its young, and which I 

 deposited in my handkerchief. After a somewhat tedious chase, I then secured 

 the object of my pursuit, which proved to be a fine pregnant female of Mega- 

 derma Lyra. 



" 1 then looked at the other bat which I had picked up, and, to my surprise, 

 found it to be a small Vespertilio, nearly allied to the European V. pipistrellus, 

 which is exceedingly abundant, not only here, but apparently throughout India, 

 being the same also, to all appearance, as a small species which my friend Dr. 

 Cantor procured in Chusan. The individnal now referred to was feeble from 

 loss of blood, which it was evident the Megaderma had been sucking from a 

 large and still bleeding wound under and behind the ear ; and the very obviously 

 suctorial form of the mouth of the vampire was of itself sufficient to hint the 

 strong probability of such being the case. During the very short time that 

 elapsed before I entered the out-house, it did not appear that the depredator had 

 once alighted : but I am satisfied that it sucked the vital current from its victim 

 as it flew, having probably seized it on the wing, and that it was seeking a quiet 

 nook where it might devour the body at leisure. I kept both animals wrapped 

 separately in my handkerchiof till the next morning, when, procuring a con- 

 venient cage, I first put in tho Megaderma, and, after observing it some time, I 

 placed the other bat with it. No sooner was the latter perceived than the other 

 fastened on it with the ferocity of a tiger, again seizing it behind the ear, and 



1 In the " Journal of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta," vol. xi., p. 225, quoted in P. Z. 

 S., 1872, p. 713. 



