VAMPIRES. 39 



only a slight inconvenience. Wrapped in dusky 

 coloured mantles, and flying solitarily, and at night, 

 their appearance is gloomy ; even their faces seem 

 full of thought, and seem to express aversion to 

 society; hence some imagine that they must neces- 

 sarily be ferocious. But such is not the case : they 

 are generally quiet and contented creatures, flitting 

 about by moonlight, and living on small insects. 

 When these are plentiful, they seek for no other 

 food, and they will never attack large animals, 

 unless urged by extreme necessity. 



Waterton has preserved several interesting me- 

 moranda of their relatives, the Yampire bats, which 

 infest the wilds and forests of Deinerara. These 

 creatures nestle in hollow trees, or clear out the 

 inside of large ant-nests, and then take possession 

 of them. When evening draws on, they leave their 

 hiding places, to soar along the river banks in 

 quest of prey ; and he who sleeps soundly in his 

 hammock, often finds on waking, that his foot is 

 stained with blood. And not man alone, when in- 

 sect food is scarce, but every unprotected animal is 

 exposed in turn, to their depredations. Nay, so 

 gently do they supply their wants, that instead of 

 being roused, the patient is lulled into a still pro- 

 founder sleep. Yet Yampires do not always live 

 on blood; when the moon shines bright, and the 

 fruit of the Banana tree is ripe, you may see them 

 approach and eat. Waterton noticed this fact 

 during his abode in Mr. Edmonstorie's deserted 

 habitation at Meriba creek on the Demerara river ; 

 the house had been dismantled for some years, the 

 roof had fallen in, and the room, where governors 



