OFTHEBAT-KIND. 145 



Ulloa, " the mofl: expert blood-lerters in the world." The inhabitants 

 of thofe warm latitudes being obliged, by the exceflive heats, to leave 

 open the doors and windows of their chambers, the vampyres enter, and 

 if any part of the body be expofed, they fallen on ir, and fuck the blood; 

 often the perfon dies under the operation. ** I have been aflured," con- 

 tinues he, " by perfons of the ftrideft veracity, that fuch an accident 

 has happened to themj and that, had they not providentially awaked, 

 their fleep would have been their pafiage into eternity; having loft fo 

 large a quantity of blood as hardly to find ftrength to bind up the orifice. 

 The reafon why the puncture is not felt is, befides the great precaution 

 with which it is made, the gentle, refrefhing agitation of the bat's wings, 

 which contribute to encreafe fleep, and foften the pain." Ulloa fup- 

 poles, the pun6ture is made by a fingle tooth. Mr. BufFon fuppofes the 

 wound is inflidted by the tongue. Others think that, without infiidling 

 any wound, by continual fu6tion, it enlarges the pores of the fkin, till 

 the blood pafles. But all agree as to the fa61:, though they difagree as 

 to the manner. 



Thefe animals are a. great peft of South America; and often prevent 

 the peopling many parts of that continent: having deftroyed at Barja, 

 and fevcral other places, the cattle brought there by the miflionaries to 

 form a fettlement. 



No. 24. C c 



