SECOND ORDER: BRUTA. t.9 



Persons attacked by this blood-thirsty creature have 

 sometimes passed from a sound sleep to a state of death. 

 It dexterously insinuates its sharp-pointed tongue unper- 

 ceived into a vein, and sucks the blood till it is satiated : 

 at the same time fanning and agitating the air with its 

 wings ; the effect of which motion, in hot climates, lulls 

 the sufferer into a more profound sleep. It is therefore 

 highly dangerous for the traveller to sleep abroad ; or even, 

 if under shelter, to leave any entrance unsecured by which 

 the vampire can be admitted. It does not, however, 

 confine its attacks to the human race : for M. de Conda- 

 mine assures us, that in certain parts of South America, 

 these bats have destroyed all the cattle that were intro- 

 duced thither by the missionaries, for the purpose of 

 forming a settlement. 



ORDER II. BRUTA. 



ANIMALS of this order are armed with strong hoofs, mas- 

 ticate their food, and are not formed for swift or elegant 

 motion. There are six genera, and about seventeen 

 species. 



ELEPHANT. 



Of this noble animal, the largest of all quadrupeds, 

 there are several varieties, but all agreeing in their generic 

 and specific distinctions. Among the inferior orders of 

 animals, we frequently find a genus consisting of several 

 species, all sufficiently distinct : but the nobler kinds vary 

 only in size or colour ; as they are influenced by climate, 

 food, or other external causes. 



Concerning the elephant much has been written in all 

 ages, yet we are still ignorant with regard to some pecu- 

 liarities belonging to it. Lately, however, much new 

 light has been thrown on the subject by some of our scien- 

 tific countrymen in the East-Indies ; from which at length 

 we learn that it copulates like the horse and the mare. 



