754 THE NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZONS. 



by the Indians of the Amazon8, and con- Many small and curious species living in the 

 sidered by them as a kind of monkey, may woods conceal themselves by day under the 

 be mentioned in this place. It is the Cerco- broad leaf -blades of Heliconiae and other 

 leptes caudivolvus of zoologists, and has plants which grow in shady places ; others 

 been considered by some authors as an inter- cling to the trunks of trees. While walking 

 mediate form between the Lemur family of through the forest in the daytime, especially 

 apes and the plantigrade Carnivora, or bear along gloomy ravines, one is almost sure to 

 family. It has decidedly no close relation- startle bats from their sleeping-places, end 

 ship to either of the groups of American at night they are often seen in great num. 

 monkeys, having six cutting teeth to each bers flitting about the trees on the shady 

 jaw, and long claws instead of nails, with margins of narrow channels. I captured 

 extremities of the usual shape of paws in- altogether, without giving especial attention 

 stead of hands. Its muzzle is conical and to bats, sixteen different species at Ega. 

 pointed, like that of many lemurs of Mada- TJie Vampire Bat. The little gray blocd- 

 gascar ; the expression of its countenance, sucking Fliyllostoma, mentioned in a forim r 

 and its habits and actions, are also very chapter as found in my chamber at Caripi, 

 similar to those of lemurs. Its tail is very was not uncommon at Ega, where every ono 

 flexible toward the tip, and is used to twine believes it to visit sleepers and bleed them in 

 round branches in climbing. I did not see the night. But the vampire was here by far 

 or hear anything of this animal while resid- the most abundant of the family of leaf-nosed 

 ing on the Lower Amazons, but on the banks bats. It is the largest of all the South 

 of the upper river, from the Teffe to Peru, American species, measuring twenty-eight 

 it appeared to be rather common. It is noc- inches in expanse of wing. Nothing in ani- 

 turnal in its habits, like the owl faced mon- mal physiognomy can be more hideous than 

 keys, although unlike them it has a bright, the countenance of this creature when viewed 

 dark eye. i once saw it in considerable from the front, the large leathery ears stand- 

 numbers when on, an excursion with an 'In- ing out from the sides and top of the head, 

 dian companion along the low Ygapo shores the erect spear-shaped appendage on the tip 

 of the Teffe, about twenty miles above Ega. of the nose, the grin and the glistening black 

 We slept one night at ine house of a native eye, all combining to make up a figure that 

 family living in the thick of the forest, where reminds one of some mocking imp of fable, 

 a festival was going on, and there being no No wonder that imaginative people have in- 

 room to hang our hammocks under shelter, ferred diabolical instincts on the part of so 

 on account of the number of visitors, we lay ugly an animal. The vampire, however, is 

 down on a mat in the open air, near a shed the most harmless of all bats, and its inoffen- 

 which stood in the midst of a grove of fruit, sive character is well known to residents on 

 trees and pupunha palms. Past midnight, the banks of the Amazons. I found two dis- 

 when all became still after the uproar of holi- tinct species of it, one having the fur of a 

 day-making, as I was listening to the dull, blackish color, the other of a ruddy hue, and 

 fanning sound made by the wings of impish ascertained that both feed chiefly on fruits, 

 hosts of vampire bats crowding round the The church at Ega was the headquarters ol 

 Caju trees, a rustle commenced from the side both kin Is ; I used to see them, as I sat at 

 of the woods, and a troop of slender, long- my drr luring the short evening twilights, 

 tailed animals were seen against the clear trooping / orth by scores from a large open 

 moonlit sky, taking flying leaps from branch window at the back of the altar, twittering 

 to branch through the grove. Many of them cheerfully as they sped off to the borders of 

 stopped at the pupuuha trees, and the the forest. They sometimes enter houses ; 

 hustling, twittering, and screaming, with the first time I saw one in my chamber, 

 sounds of falling fruits, showed how they wheeling heavily round and round, I mistook 

 were employed. I thought at first they were u c or a pigeon, thinking that a tame one had 

 Nyctipitheci, but they proved to be Jupuras, escaped from the premises of one of my 

 for the owner of the house early next morn- neighbors. I opened the stomach of several 

 in# caught a young one, and gave it to me. of these bats, and found them to contain a 

 I l.ept this as a pet animal for several weeks, mass of pulp and seeds of fruits, mingled 

 fetdiug it on bananas and mandioca-meal with a few remains of insects. The natives 

 mi xed wilh treacle. It became tame in a say they devour ripe cajus and guavas on 

 very short time, allowing itself to be caressed, trees in the gardens, but On comparing the 

 but making a distinction in the degree of seeds taken from their stomachs with those 

 coafideiice it showed between myself and of all cultivated trees of Ega, I found they 

 s^ augers. My pet was unfortunately killed were unlike any of them; it is therefore 

 by a neighbor's dog, which entered the room probable that they generally resort to the for- 

 ks' here it was kept. The animal is so difficult est to feed, coming to the village in the morn- 

 to libtam alive, its place of retreat in the day- ing to sleep, because they find it more secure 

 tii-ie not being known to the natives, that I from animals of prey than their natural 

 wjs unable to procure a second living speci- abodes in the woods. 

 m<m. 



Bute. The only other mammals that I shall Birds. I have already had occasion to men 

 mention are the bats, which exist in very tion several of the more interesting birds 

 srnsi,leniile numbers and variety in the for- found in the Ega district. The first thing that 

 t. as well as in the buildings of thevilhiges. would strike a'new-comeriu the forest of th* 



