THE BAT. 



ashes to the wound, and had washed the gore from him- 

 self and his hammock, he examined the place where he 

 had lain, and observed several small heaps of congealed 

 blood upon the ground ; on examining which, the surgeon 

 judged that he had lost at least twelve or fourteen ounces. 

 Captain Stedman says, that these animals, knowing by in- 

 stinct that the person they intend to attack is in a sound 

 slumber, they generally alight near the feet ; where, while 

 the creature continues fanning with his enormous wings, 

 which keeps the person cool, he bites a piece out of the tip 

 of the great toe, so very small that the head of a pin could 

 scarcely be received into the wound, which is consequently 

 not painful. Yet, through this orifice, he sucks the blood 

 until he is obliged to disgorge. He then begins again, and 

 thus continues sucking and disgorging till he is scarcely 

 able to fly ; and the sufferer has often been known to sleep 

 from time into eternity. The spectre bat generally bites 

 in the ear, but always in places where the blood will flow 

 spontaneously. 



