96 MAMMALIA — BAT. 



" The vampire has a curious raembrane, which rises from the nose, and 

 gives it a singular appearance. There are tVv^o species of vampire in Guiana, 

 a larger and a smaller. The larger sucks men and other animals ; the 

 smaller seems to confine himself chiefly to birds. I learnt from a gentleman 

 high up on the river Demerara, that he Avas completely unsuccessful with 

 his fov/ls on account of the small vampire. He showed me some that had 

 been sucked the night before, and they were scarcely able to walk. 



" Some years ago, I went to the river Paumaron witli a Scotch gentleman, 

 by name Tarbet.. We hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter's 

 house. Next morning, I heard jhi's gentleman muttering in his hammock, 

 and noAV and then letting fall an imprecation, just about the time he ought 

 lo have been saying his morning prayers. ' What is the matter. Sir,' said I 

 softly; 'is anything amiss?' 'What's the matter?' answered he sullen- 

 ly; 'why the vampires have been sucking me to death.' As soon as there 

 was light enough, I went to his hammock, and saw that it was 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 examin- 

 ing 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 in a worse humor by remark- 

 ing, that an European surgeon would not have been so generous as to have 

 blooded him without making a charge. He looked up in my face, but did 

 not say a Avord ; and I saw he was of opinion that I had better have spared 

 this piece of ill-timed levity." 



Of American bats there are five kinds noticed by Godman, viz : the 

 Carolina, hoary, cuneated, subulate, and New York bats. 



ORDER FOURTH — F E RiE. 



This order embraces animals with four extremities proper for walking ; 

 three kinds of teeth : mammffi abdominal, varying in number, stomach 

 simple, membranous, intestines short. 



FAMILY I. — INSECTIVOR^. 



These have the feet fiat, armed with stout nails ; those of the hind feet 

 always with five toes, having their sole entirely bearing upon the ground ; 

 fore feet generally with five toes; molar teeth crowned with pointed tuber- 

 cles ; canines sometimes very long, sometimes very short ; incisors variable 

 in number ; body covered with hair or prickles. 



