270 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Captain Stedman's account of the varnpyre. 



as the best remedy, and washed the gore from 

 myself and my hammock, I observed several 

 small heaps of congealed blood all round the 

 place where I had lain, upon the ground ; on ex- 

 amining which, the surgeon judged that I had 

 lost at least twelve or fourteen ounces during the 

 night." 



The smell of these bats is more disagreeable than 

 that of a fox : yet the Indians declare their flesh 

 to be excellent food : and the French, who reside 

 in the isle of Bourbon, boil them in their bouillon, 

 to give it a relish! In New Caledonia the natives 

 use the hair of these animals in making ropes, 

 and the tassels of their clubs; interweaving it 

 with the threads of Cyperus squarrosus. 



These animals are found in several parts of In- 

 dia and in the Indian islands, in New South 

 Wales, the Friendly Isles, and South America. 

 They appear capable of being tamed ; for some 

 that were taken near Port Jackson, soon became 

 reconciled to their captivity, and would even eat 

 boiled rice and other food from the hand. Go- 

 vernor Philips had a female which would hang 

 by one leg a whole day, and in that position, 

 with its breast neatly covered by one of its wings, 

 it would eat whatever was offered to it, lapping 

 from the hand like a cat. 



