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 well 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 
