VAMPYRE BAT. 145 



Bat, is, in general, about a foot long, with an ex- 

 tent of wings about four feet ; but sometimes it is 

 found far larger, and it has been said that speci- 

 mens have been seen of six feet in extent. The 

 general colour of the body is a deep reddish 

 brown ; brighter on the upper part of the neck 

 and shoulders, as well as on the under parts of 

 the body. The nose is sharp and black: the 

 teeth large and sharp: there are four cutting- 

 teeth both above and below; and the canine-teeth 

 are large and strong: the tongue is pointed, and 

 terminated by sharp prickles : the ears are naked, 

 blackish, and large, and are of a pointed form. 

 The wings are black, or of the colour of those of the 

 common Bat. The membrane is divided behind, 

 quite to the rump; there being no tail: the single 

 claw on the wings is large and strong; and those 

 on the feet extremely so, as wejl as much curved. 



This is the Bat to which Linnaeus applied the 

 title of Vampyre, on the supposition of its being 

 the species of which so many extraordinary ac- 

 counts have been given relative to its power of 

 sucking the blood both of men and cattle. This 

 it is supposed to perform by inserting its acu- 

 leated tongue into the vein of a sleeping person, 

 in so peculiar a manner as not to excite pain ; 

 fanning, at the same time, the air with its wings, 

 by which means the sleep is rendered still more 

 profound. This is what appears at first so extra- 

 ordinary as to justify a degree of scepticism as to 

 the fact: it is, however, so solemnly related, and 



v. i. 10 



