'especially when peaches are in season, and 

 will eat and destroy large quantities of fruit. 

 They are therefore shot by the settlers, and 

 their homes in the brushes are often attacked, 

 when thousands of them are killed while they 

 are soundly sleeping. There are several 

 different kinds of bats in Australia, but the 

 Flying Fox is by far the largest of them. Its 

 body is covered by a fine silky hair, its wings 

 are strong and leathery. It obtains the name 

 of Vampire from its resemblance to that kind 

 of bat inhabiting South America, and the 

 southern parts of Asia. The true Vampires are 

 said to suck the blood of other animals, and 

 many dismal stories are told of their attacks, 

 -even upon human beings when asleep. 



