614 



NA TURA L HIS TOR Y. 



Chili, when my servant, noticing that one of the horses was very restive, 

 went to see what was the matter, and fancying he could detect something, 

 suddenly put his hand upon his withers, and secured the vampire." 



Mr. Bates also conlirms the fact by observations which he made at 

 Caripe, near the mouth of the Amazon. " The first few nights I was much 

 troubled by bats. The room where I slept had not been used for many 

 months, and the roof was open to the tiles and rafters. The first night I 

 slept soundly, and did not perceive anything unusual, but on the next I 



FlG. 491. — False vampire ( Vampyrus spectrum). 



was aroused about midnight by the rushing noise made by vast hosts of 

 bats sweeping about the room. The air was alive with them ; they had 

 put out the lamp, and when I relighted it, the place appeared blackened 

 with the impish multitudes that were whirling round and round. After 

 I had laid about well with a stick for a few minutes the} r disappeared 

 among the tiles ; but when all was still again, they returned, and once more 

 extinguished the light. I took no further notice of them, and went to 

 sleep. The next night several got into my hammock ; I seized them as 

 they were crawling over me, and dashed them against the wall. The next 



