188 VAMPYRES. FAMILY VESPERTILIONID.E. 



if this be put on too soon. The species to which the name of 

 Vampyre is commonly attached (Fig. 87), is about the size of a 

 Magpie, its wings measuring two or three feet across, when ex- 

 panded ; it seems to have similar blood-thirsty propensities to 

 those just described ; but from the structure of its teeth it may 

 be imagined to be less exclusive in its tastes than the preceding. 

 Many marvellous stories have been told of the performances of 

 these animals ; but they contain much fiction mingled with some 

 truth. There is no well-authenticated instance of any animal 

 larger than a fowl ever having died from the effect of their bite ; 

 although their attacks are so frequent that, according to the tes- 

 timony of some travellers, the horses and mules turned out to 

 graze at the end of a day's journey, are often brought in by the 

 guides in the morning with their shoulders and haunches covered 

 with blood ; nor is it an uncommon thing for the Vampyres to 

 enter the habitations of the natives, and fasten on the legs of 

 some incautious sleeper, who has not secured his feet within the 

 coverlid. But " nobody fears these animals, or gives himself 

 an^ trouble about them." The story of the Vampyre fanning 

 its victim with its large wings, to keep him cool, and render his 

 sleep more profound, is probably a fiction of the imagination. 

 Other species of this family inhabit the Eastern Hemisphere, and 

 are insectivorous or partly frugivorous (fruit-eating) in their habits. 

 171. To the third Family, YESPERTILIONID^E, most of the 

 Bats of temperate climates belong ; and the number of species 

 of these is very numerous, no less than thirteen being natives of 

 Britain. Of these one of the largest is the Vespertilio noctula, 

 the Noctule, or Great Bat, which measures fifteen inches across the 

 wings; this is gregarious in its habits, associating in considerable 

 numbers ; and seeks its retreat sometimes in the hollow of trees, 

 at others under the roofs and eaves of houses. The Vespertilio 

 murinus, or Mouse-coloured Bat, exceeds the preceding by about 

 an inch in the expanse of its wings ; it is very common in many 

 parts of the Continent, living in ancient buildings, the towers of 

 churches, &c., but not resorting to the woods ; and is the one 

 usually implied by continental writers as the Bat, or Common 

 Bat ; in Britain, however, it is very rare. Although gregarious 



