122 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



development, do, however* exist, though very small, and 

 crammed close together in front of the canines. Another 

 peculiarity in the lower jaw is, that it exceeds the upper. 

 There are four incisives in each. The molars of the vam- 

 pire ten above and twelve below, are of the carnivorous 

 character ; the first are very short, and almost plain ; the 

 others are trenchant, and terminate in three or four points. 

 Those below are compressed, and remarkable for one of 

 the points which extends considerably beyond the rest ; 

 the upper molars differ from each other in form and di- 

 mensions ; the second are triangular, the last large, but 

 have no great depth. 



The Javelin-bat resembles the Vampire, as to the teeth, 

 merely in the disposition of the upper incisors ; the branches 

 of the lower jaw being more separated, keep the canines 

 at a certain distance, and thus leaving more space for the in- 

 cisors, allow them to be ranged on a single line. 



The Javelin-bat has four molars less than the Vampire, 

 that is -f & . The construction of its teeth altogether, more 

 closely resembles that of the insectivora, while the teeth of 

 the Vampire exhibits relations with those of the animals 

 which feed on flesh. The occipital cavity is also stronger 

 in the latter than in the Javelin-bat. 



In the smallest of the phyllostomata, (the Sorici?ium,) 

 there are but three molars in each rank : twelve in all. 



All observers have agreed in attributing to the phyllos- 

 tomata the faculty of sucking the blood both of men and 

 animals. Pison has given us some very circumstantial de- 

 tails on this subject. Similar accounts are also to be found 

 in the narratives of Peter Martyr, of Father Jumilla, of the 

 brothers Ulloa, and of M. de La Condamine, all which ac- 

 counts are to be found in a French work, entitled Histoire 

 Naturelle, (vol. xiii. p. 58,) where they are transcribed 

 from the original text of these authors. M. Raume de 

 St. Laurent, in the same work, confirms the veracity of 



