CARNARIA. 



71 



an organ of suction ; and their lips also have tubercles syraraetrically arranged. Tliey are American 

 auiraals, which run along the ground with more facility than the other Bats, and haie a habit of 

 sucking the blood of animals. 



1. Tailless Phyllostomes {VampyritSy Spix). 



The Vampyre [of authors] {Vcsp. spectrum, Lin.) — (fig-. 

 12.) lliis animal is reddish-brown, and as large as a 

 Magpie. It has been accused of causing the death of 

 meu and animals by sucking their blood ; but the truth 

 appears to be, that it inflicts only very small wounds, 

 which may sometimes prove dangerous from the effects of 

 the climate. [There are several others, certain of which 

 compose the divisions Madattetts and Arctibeus, Leach, 

 Lophostoma, Orb., (which is very like a DeKmodus ex- 

 ternally,) Diphylla^ Spix, and CarolUay Gray, — founded on 

 trivial modifications of the form of the nose-leaf, tragus, 

 and interfemoral membrane.] 



2. Phyllostomes with the tail enveloped in the interfe- 

 moral membrane. 



The .Tavelin Ph. {Ve.'^p. hastatns, Lin.)— The leaf shaped 

 like the head of a javelin, with its edges entire. [Also 

 various others, some of which constWwXe: Macrophyllum awd 

 BrachyphyUa, Gray.] 



3. Phyllostomes with the tail free above the membrane. 

 Ph. crcnulatum, Geof. — The leaf indented on the side. 



M. Geoffroy distinguishes from the Phyllostomes 

 ■^hose species which have a narrow extensile tongue, 

 furnished with papillje resembling hairs. He de- 

 signates them Glossophagues {Glossophaga). All 

 the species are likemse from America. [These also 

 have been subdivided, according to the presence or 

 absence of a short tail, and other frivolous characters 

 into Phyllophora and Anoura^ Gray, Monophyllus, 

 Leach, and Glossophaga, as restricted. Spix applies to 

 one of them {GL amplexicaudata, Phyllophora of 

 Gray) the term Sanguisuga crudellssima, — "a very 



cruel blood-sucker." According to Mr. Bell, the tongue of Phyllostoma, has "a number of wart-like 

 elevations, so arranged as to form a complete circular suctorial disc, when they are brought into con- 

 tact at their sides, which is done by means of a set of muscular tibres, ha\ang a tendon attached to 

 each of the warts." The teeth of these animals, however, are decidedly ill-adapted for blood-letting. 



Fig 1 



npynis spectrum 



The True Vampyres (Desmodics, Pr. Max., Edostoma, Orb., Stenoderma ?, Geof.) 

 This extraordinary genus has two immense, projecting, approximate upper incisors, and similar 

 lancet-shaped superior canines, all of 17111011 are excessively sharp-pointed, and arranged to inflict a 



triple puncture, like that of a Leech ; four hilobate inferior 

 incisors, the innermost separated hy a wide interval ; the 

 lower canines small and not compressed : there are no true 

 molars, but two false ones on the ujiper jaw, and three on 

 the lower, of a peculiar form, apparently unfitted for mas- 

 tication (fig. 13). The intestine is shorter than in any 

 other known animal ; as Ijlood, which probably constitutes 

 their sole food, is so readily assimilated.* They have the 

 general characters of the Phyllostomes exf mally, a small 

 bifid membrane on the nose, no tail or calcaneum, and the 

 interfemoral membrane but httle developed. Are also in 

 habitants of South America. 



Fig. 13.— Tocth of Desmudua. 



• III rr^prriUu nortuUc, tlie intestine is only tw 

 tlie body, wtiile in Purupui it is foil 'Jovcn times. 



leccds fiimost striiight to tlie anus. It wonld be interealinjj to tLuofi 

 lirst or milit tectb of Deiinodus. 



