96 MAMMALIA — BAT. 



" The vampire has a curious membrane, which rises from the nose, and 

 gives it a singular appearance. There are two species of vampire in Guiana, 

 a larger and a smaller. The larger sucks men and other animals; the 

 smaller seems to confine himself chiefly to birds. I learnt from a gentleman 

 high up on the river Demerara, that he was completely unsuccessful with 

 his fowls on account of the small vampire. He showed me some that had 

 been sucked the night before, and they were scarcely able to walk. 



" Some years ago, I went to the river Paumaronwith a Scotch gentleman, 

 by name Tarbet. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's 

 house. Next morning, I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, 

 and now and then letting fall an imprecation, just about the time he ought 

 to have been saying his morning prayers. ' What is the matter, Sir,' said I 

 softly; 'is anything amiss?' 'What's the matter?' answered he sullen- 

 ly ; ' why the vampires have been sucking me to death.' As soon as there 

 was light enough, I went to his hammock, and saw that it was much stained 

 with blood. ' There,' said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, ' see 

 how these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood !' On examin- 

 ing his foot, I found the vampire had tapped his great toe : there was a 

 wound somewhat less than that made by a leech ; the blood was still oozing 

 from it : I conjectured he might have lost from ten to twelve ounces of 

 blood. Whilst examining it, I think I put him in a worse humor by remark- 

 ing, that an European surgeon would not have been so generous as to have 

 blooded him without making a charge. He looked up in my face, but did 

 not say a word ; and I saw he was of opinion that I had better have spared 

 this piece of ill-timed levity." 



Of American bats there are five kinds noticed by Godman, viz : the 

 Carolina, hoary, cuneated, subulate, and New York bats. 



ORDER FOURTH — FERiE. 



This order embraces animals with four extremities proper for walking ; 

 three kinds of teeth : mamma? abdominal, varying in number, stomach 

 simple, membranous, intestines short. 



FAMILY I.-INSECTIVORJE. 



These have the feet flat, armed with stout nails ; those of the hind feet 

 always with five toes, having their sole entirely bearing upon the ground , 

 fore feet generally with five toes ; molar teeth crowned with pointed tuber- 

 cles ; canines sometimes very long, sometimes very short ; incisors variable 

 m number ; body covered with hair or prickles. 



