CHAPTER VI.. Phyllostomidæ, or Vampires.

PHYLLOSTOMIDÆ, OR VAMPIRES.

Distinguishing Marks of the Phyllostomidæ--Location--Diet--Blood-sucking Propensities--Exaggerations of the Older Writers--Testimony of Azara--Darwin’s Evidence--Bat-bites--The Witness of Bates, Wallace, Fraser, Prince Maximilian--Conclusion of the Whole Matter--The Desmodonts and Javelin Bat--The Tongue in the Genus Phyllostoma--BLAINVILLE’S BAT--Extraordinary Development of Face and Head--OWL-FACED BAT--JAVELIN BAT--Allied Species--VAMPIRE BAT--Mr. Bates’ Testimony to its Inoffensiveness, and Description of its Habits--NEUWIED’S LARGE-LEAFED BAT--GREAT-EARED LEAF BAT--SORICINE BAT--REDMAN’S BAT--SEZEKORN’S LEAF BAT--SPECTACLED STENODERM--JAMAICAN STENODERM--DESMODUS--Classification--Dentition--Blood-sucking Propensities--The Bites--Stomachs of Desmodus, Frugivorous and Insectivorous Bats--Concluding Remarks 324

ORDER INSECTIVORA.