508 TROPICAL BATS 



kind of membranous scutcheon, surmounted by a leaf-like 

 expansion, like the head of a lance, and supposed to extend in 

 an extraordinary degree the sense of smelling, are exclusivel} 

 confined to the western continent. These phyllostomidse arc 

 remarkable for their blood-sucking propensities, and under tlu3 

 name of vampires have brought the whole race of the large 

 tropical bats into evil repute. 



Prince Maximilian of Neu Wied * often saw by moonshine, or 

 in the twilight, the Gruandiru {Phyllostoina hctstatuvi), a bat 

 five inches long, and measuring twenty-three inches with out- 

 stretched wings, hover about his horses and mules while grazing 

 after their day's journey. The animals did not seem incommoded 

 by its presence, but on the following morning, he generally 

 found them covered with blood from the shoulders to the hoofs. 

 The muscular under-lip of the phyllostoma can be completely 

 folded together in the shape of a sucking-tube, which, after the 

 sharp canine teeth have penetrated the skin, continues to pump 

 forth the blood. Even man himself is liable to the attacks of 

 the larger phyllostomidse. 



" Some years ago," says Mr. Waterton, " I was in Demarara 

 with a Scotch gentleman, by name Tarbet. We hung our 

 hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's house. Next 

 morning I heard this gentleman muttering in his hammock, 

 and now and then letting fall an imprecation or two, just about 

 the time he ought to have been saying his morning prayers. 

 ' What is the matter, Sir ? ' said I, softly : * is anything amiss ? ' 

 ' What 's the matter ? ' answered he surlily ; ' why, the vampires 

 have been sucking me to death.' As soon as there was light 

 enough, I went to his hammock, and saw it much stained with 

 blood. ' There,' said he, thrusting his foot out of the hammock, 

 ^ see how these infernal imps have been drawing my life's blood.' 

 On examining his foot, I found the vampire had tapped his great 

 toe : there was a wound somewhat less than that made by a 

 leech; the blood was still oozing from it. I conjectured he 

 might have lost from ten to twelve ounces of blood. Whilst 

 examining it, I think I put him into a worse humour by 

 remarking that an European surgeon would not have been 



* Travels in tlic Brazils. 



