2 



ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



nose-leaf; and, at a short distance behind the nose-leaf, this naked mem- 

 brane is slightly elevated, and forms a transverse fleshy tubercle. 



Length of head and body 



interfemoral membrane 

 the antibrachium 

 thumb (claw included) 



tibia 



In. 



Lines. 



3 



3 







81 



2 



2 







8 







10 



Length of tarsus (claw included) 



ear 



tragus . 

 nose-leaf 

 Expanse of the wings 



In. 

 











Lines. 



3 



9i 



Z 4 



12 8 



Habitat, Coquimbo, Chile. {May. 



\ 



" The Vampire Bat," says Mr. Darwin in his MS. notes upon the present 

 species, " is often the cause of much trouble, by biting the horses on their 

 withers. The injury is generally not so much owing to the loss of blood, as to 

 the inflammation which the pressure of the saddle afterwards produces. The 

 whole circumstance has lately been doubted in England ; I was therefore for- 

 tunate in being present when one was actually caught on a horse's back. We 

 were bivouacking late one evening near Coquimbo, in Chile, when my servant, 

 noticing that one of the horses was very restive, went to see what was the matter, 

 and fancying he could distinguish something, suddenly put his hand on the beast's 

 withers, and secured the Vampire. In the morning, the spot where the bite had 

 been inflicted was easily distinguished from being slightly swollen and bloody. 

 The third day afterwards we rode the horse, without any ill effects. 



Before the introduction of the domesticated quadrupeds, this Vampire Bat 

 probably preyed on the guanaco, or vicugna, for these, together with the puma, 

 and man, were the only terrestrial mammalia of large size, which formerly inhabited 

 the northern part of Chile. This species must be unknown, or very uncommon in 

 Central Chile, since Molina, who lived in that part, says (Compendio de la His- 

 toria del Reyno de Chile, vol. i. p. 301,) " that no blood-sucking species is found 



in this province. 



It is interesting to find that the structure of this animal is in perfect accord- 

 ance with the habits as above detailed by Mr. Darwin. Among other points, the 

 total absence of true molars, and consequent want of the power of masticating 

 food, is the most remarkable. On the other hand we find the canines and inci- 

 sors perfectly fitted for inflicting a wound such as described, while the small 

 size of the interfemoral membrane (giving freedom to the motions of the legs,) 

 together with the unusually large size of the thumb and claw, would enable 

 this Bat, as I should imagine, to fix itself with great security to the body of the 



horse. 



I have named this species after M. d'Orbigny, who has added so much to 



?} 







