THE BAT. 275 



formidable creature is near four feet broad, when the 

 wings are extended ; and a foot long, from the tip of the 

 nose to the insertion of the tail. It resembles our bat in 

 the form of its wings, in its manner of flying, and in its in- 

 ternal conformation. It differs from it in its enormou-s 

 size ; in its color, which is red, like that of a fox ; in its 

 head and nose also, which' resemble those of that animal, 

 and which have induced some to call it the flying fox ; 

 it differs also in the number of its teeth ; and in having a 

 claw on the fore foot, which is wanting in ours. This 

 formidable creature is found only in the ancient continent ; 

 particularly in Madagascar, along the coasts of Africa and 

 Malabar, where it is usually seen about the size of a large 

 hen. When they repose, they stick themselves to the tops 

 of the tallest trees, and hang with their heads downward. 

 But when they are in motion, nothing can be more formi- 

 dable : they are seen in clouds, darkening the air, as well 

 by day as by night, destroying the ripe fruits of the coun- 

 try, and sometimes settling upon animals, and man him- 

 self: they devour, indiscriminately, fruits, flesh, and in- 

 sects, and drink the juice of the palm-tree : they are 

 heard at night in the forests at more than two miles dis- 

 tance, with a horrible din, but at the approach of day, 

 they usually begin to retire ; nothing is safe from their 

 depredations ; they destroy fowls and domestic animals, 

 unless preserved with the utmost care, and often fasten 

 upon the inhabitants themselves, attack them in the face, 

 and inflict very terrible wounds. In short, as some have 

 already observed, the ancients seem to have taken their 

 ideas of harpies from these fierce and voracious creatures, 

 as they both concur in many parts of the description, being 

 equally deformed, greedy, uncleanly, and cruel. 



An animal not so formidable, but still more mischievous 

 than these, is the American Vampyre. This is still less 

 than the former ; but more deformed, and still more nume- 

 rous. It is furnished with a horn like the rhinoceros bat j 



