SOUTH AMERICA. 
1G3 
The vampire, in general, measures about twenty- THIRD 
six inches from wing to wing extended, though I J0URMEY - 
once killed one which measured thirty-two inches. 
He frequents old abandoned houses and hollow trees; 
and sometimes a cluster of them may be seen in the 
forest hanging head downwards from the branch of 
a tree. 
Goldsmith seems to have been aware that the 
vampire hangs in clusters ; for in the “ Deserted 
Village,” speaking of America, he says,— 
“ And matted woods, where birds forget to sing, 
But silent bats in drowsy clusters cling.” 
The vampire has a curious membrane, which rises 
from the nose, and gives it a very singular appear¬ 
ance. It has been remarked before, that there are 
two species of vampire in Guiana, a larger and a 
smaller. The larger sucks men and other animals ; 
the smaller seems to confine himself chiefly to birds. 
I learnt from a gentleman, high up in the river 
Demerara, that he was completely unsuccessful with 
his fowls, on account of the small vampire. He 
showed me some that had been sucked the night 
before, and they were scarcely able to walk. 
Some years ago I went to the river Paumaron Anecdote, 
with a Scotch gentleman, by name Tarbet. We 
hung our hammocks in the thatched loft of a planter’s 
house. Next morning I heard this gentleman mut¬ 
tering in his hammock, and now and then letting 
fall an imprecation or twx>, just about the time he 
ought to have been saying his morning prayers. 
“ What is the matter, Sir,” said I, softly; u is any 
thing amiss ?” u What’s the matter !” answered he 
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