930 



ON THE 



has been denominated the Spectre Bat. As my 

 time will not permit me to enter into a particular 

 history of each of the foreign Bats, I shall con- 

 fine my description to the large Bat of South 

 Americ , to which \ shall take upon myself to 

 to assign the name of Vampyre; briefly observ- 

 ing, that the largest Bats are to be found in the 

 Island of Java, some of which, have measured 

 one foot in length, and more than five feet from 

 wing to wing, *hen fully expanded; and that 

 though these are stated to live upon the fruits of 

 the country which they inhabit, yet, from the pe- 

 culiar structure of the tongue, we can easily cre- 

 dit the propensity which has been attributed to 

 all the foreign Bats, that of sucking the blood of 

 the animals, upon whom they may have it in 

 their power to fix. 



The specimen on the table which was pre- 

 sented to the Society, by Mr. Cole, though from 

 being brought from India in Spirits and after- 

 wards dried, it has failed to display its nature, 

 size, and form ; will serve to convey to you 

 some general idea of the magnitude of these 

 animals. 



The Vampyre Bat, of South America, which 

 is found chiefly in Surinam and Guiana, is about 

 the size of a Squirrel, and measures from tip to 

 tip of the wings, when expanded, nearly three 

 feet. Its body is covered with long hair, of 

 nearly a black colour, and it has no tail. It has 



