40 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



somewhat less tlian that made Iiy a leech. The blood was still oozing from 

 it. I conjectured he might have lost from ten to twelve ounces of blood. 

 "\^'hiIst examining it, I think I put him in a worse humor, by remarking 

 that a I^ui-opcan surgeon would not have been so generous as to have 

 l)loodcd him witliout making a charge. lie looked up in my face, Init did 

 not sav a word. I saw he was of the opinion that I had better have spared 

 tliis piece of ill-timed levity." 



Genus Phvllostojia — The Javelin Bats. The wings of these animals 

 arc large, and the intcrfemoral membrane unites the two thighs. 



To this genus belongs tlic notorious Spectre Bat {Vumpyrus spectrum). 

 of Liuuceiis. It inhabits the deep woods and deserted plantations in 

 Brazil and Guiana. It is of the size of a magpie, of a reddish-brown color 

 above, ycllowisii beneatlu It sometimes measures thirty-two inches across 

 tlic wings ; it lias thirty-two tectli, and the Icaf-likc membrane of tiic nose 

 turned up. It is a ferocious Uood-suckcr, and has the faculty of running 

 on the ground witli more fai'ihty tliau other bats. One of its bloody ex- 

 ploits is thus related by Captain Stcdman, in his "Narrative of a Five 

 Years' Expedition against tlic revolted Negroes of Surinam '' : — 



" On awaking in my liauunock, about four o'clock one morning, I was 

 extremely alarmed at finding myself weltering in coagulated blood, and 

 \\ithi)ut feeling anv jiain whatever. Tiie mystery was, that I had been 

 bitten l)y tiie Vampire, or Spectre of Guiana, whicli is also called the Fly- 

 ing Dog of New Spain, and by the Spaniards, Pcrrovolador. Tiiis is no 

 otlicr than a Ijat of monstrous size, that sucks tiic blood from men and cattle, 

 ^vhilc they are fast asleep, even sometimes till they die ; and, as tlic man- 

 ner in wliicli they jjroceed is truly wonderfid, I siiall endeavor to give a 

 distinct account of it. 



" Knowing, by instinct, that the person they intend to attack is in a 

 sound slumber, they generally alight near the feet, where, while the crea- 

 ture continues fanning witli his enormous wings, which keeps one cool, he 

 bites a piece out of the tip of tiie great toe, so very small, indeed, that tlic 

 licad of a pin could scarcely be received into the wound, which is, conse- 

 quently, not painful : yet, through this orifice he continues to suck the 

 blo(jd until lie is obliged to disgorge. lie then begins again ; and thus 

 continues sucking and disgorging until he is scarcely able to Hy, and the 

 suflcrer has often been known to pass from time to eternity. Cattle they 

 generally bite in the ear, but always in places where the blood flows spon- 

 taneously. Having applied tobacco ashes, as the best remecty, and waslied 

 the gore fVmn myself and hammock, I observed several small heaps of 

 coagulated blood on the ground, all round the place where I liad lain ; on 

 examining wliich, tlic surgeon judged that I had lost at least twelve or four- 

 teen ounces of blood." 



