3$o 
B A T. 
Thefe monfters inhabit Guinea , Madagafcar , and 
all the iflands from thence to the re mote ft in the In - 
dian ocean. They fly in flocks, and perfe&ly ob- 
fcure the air with their numbers: they begin their 
flight from one neighboring ifland to another imme¬ 
diately on fun-fet, and return in clouds from the 
time it is light till fun-rife They live on fruits, 
and are fo fond of the juice of the palm tree, that 
they will intoxicate themfelves with it till they drop 
on the ground It is moft likely, from the fize 
of their teeth, they are carnivorous. Mr. Edwards 
relates, that they will dip into the lea for fifh. They 
fwarm like bees, hanging by one another from the 
trees in great clufters f . The Indians eat them, 
and declare the flefh to be very good: they grow 
exceflively fat at certain times of the year. The 
French , who live in the I fie de Bourbon , boil them 
in their Bouillon , to give it a relifh J. The Negroes 
have them in abhorrence J. Many are of an enor¬ 
mous fize: Beckman § meafured one, whofe extent 
from tip to tip of the wing was five feet four inches j 
and Dampier || another, which extended further than 
he could reach with ftretched-out arms. Their bo¬ 
dies are from the fize of a pullet to that of a dove : 
their cry is dreadfull; their fmell rank ; their bite, 
refiftance and fiercenefs great when taken. 
* Dampler*s voy. I. 381. 
*** Mufeum Hqfnia. Pars. I. Seel. 2. No. 18. 
1 * Argenfola Philip, ijles, 138. desMarchais , II. 261. 
I Noy. de la Caille, 233. J des March ms, ibid. 
§ Voy. to Borneo, 30. 
if 1. 381. 
The 
