Part 8

“The Vampire Bat,” says Mr. Darwin in his MS. notes upon the present species, “is often the cause of much trouble, by biting the horses on their withers. The injury is generally not so much owing to the loss of blood, as to the inflammation which the pressure of the saddle afterwards produces. The whole circumstance has lately been doubted in England; I was therefore fortunate in being present when one was actually caught on a horse’s back. We were bivouacking late one evening near Coquimbo, in Chile, when my servant, noticing that one of the horses was very restive, went to see what was the matter, and fancying he could distinguish something, suddenly put his hand on the beast’s withers, and secured the Vampire. In the morning, the spot where the bite had been inflicted was easily distinguished from being slightly swollen and bloody. The third day afterwards we rode the horse, without any ill effects.”

Before the introduction of the domesticated quadrupeds, this Vampire Bat probably preyed on the guanaco, or vicugna, for these, together with the puma, and man, were the only terrestrial mammalia of large size, which formerly inhabited the northern part of Chile. This species must be unknown, or very uncommon in Central Chile, since Molina, who lived in that part, says (Compendio de la Historia del Reyno de Chile, vol. i. p. 301,) “that no blood-sucking species is found in this province.”

It is interesting to find that the structure of this animal is in perfect accordance with the habits as above detailed by Mr. Darwin. Among other points, the total absence of true molars, and consequent want of the power of masticating food, is the most remarkable. On the other hand we find the canines and incisors perfectly fitted for inflicting a wound such as described, while the small size of the interfemoral membrane (giving freedom to the motions of the legs,) together with the unusually large size of the thumb and claw, would enable this Bat, as I should imagine, to fix itself with great security to the body of the horse.

I have named this species after M. d’Orbigny, who has added so much to our information on the zoological productions of South America. The Edostoma cinerea of that author has evidently a close affinity to the animal here described, and differs chiefly (judging from the drawing published in his work) in the larger size of the ears, in having the nose-leaf free, and the surrounding membrane free and elevated.

As M. d’Orbigny has not yet published the character of his genus Edostoma, his figure is my only guide, and in this figure I find the dentition agreeing both with that of the present species, and that of the genus Desmodus of Prince Maximilian,—as would appear from the published descriptions, and figure given by M. de Blainville.—The points of distinction between M. d’Orbigny’s animal and the species here described, are not, in my opinion, of sufficient importance to constitute generic characters, I have, therefore, retained the name of Desmodus.

It is desireable perhaps to separate the Blood-sucking Bats from the Insectivorous species, and place them between the latter group and the Pteropina, (with which they agree in the large size of the thumb and the rudimentary interfemoral membrane,) under a sectional name, which I propose to call Hæmatophilini.

1. PHYLLOSTOMA GRAYI. PLATE II.

P. fusco-cinereum; nasûs prosthemate lanceolato; auribus mediocribus, trago basin versus extùs unidentato; caudâ gracillimâ, brevi, et membranâ interfemorali inclusâ; verrucâ complanatâ ad apicem menti, verrucis parvulis circumdatâ.

DESCRIPTION.—This Phyllostoma agrees with the species described by Mr. J. Gray under the name of Childreni, in having on the lower lip “an half ovate group of crowded warts,” but is of a much smaller size, and differs also in colour.

The number of teeth are as follows:—incisors ⁴⁄₄; canines ²⁄₂; molars 5⁵⁄₅–5 = 32. The intermediate pair of incisors of the upper jaw are large, compressed, and have their apices rounded; the lateral pair are so minute, that they are scarcely visible without the assistance of a lens: the four incisors of the lower jaw, are somewhat crowded, the intermediate pair are slightly larger than the lateral; they are all deeply notched, and broad at the apex. The cerebral portion of the skull is much arched and the anterior portion is depressed. The zygomatic arch is imperfect; see Pl. 35. figs. 2. The nose-leaf is lanceolate, and of moderate size: the ears are also of moderate size; they are rounded at the tip and emarginated on their exterior edge: the tragus is elongated, and suddenly attenuated towards the apex; the outer margin is deeply notched towards the base, and very obscurely crenulated above this notch. The interfemoral membrane is of moderate extent, and emarginated posteriorly. The tail, which is very slender, is entirely enclosed by the interfemoral membrane, and the visible portion appears to consist of but two joints, which together, measure about two and a half lines in length. The basal half of the thumb is enclosed in membrane. The fur is soft and rather long. The general tint of the upper and under parts of the body is brownish-ash; the hairs on the neck and on the whole of the back are grey at the base, then white, or nearly so, brownish-ash near the tip, and whitish at the tip. On the belly the hairs are nearly of an uniform brown-ash colour, their apices only being whitish. The ears, nose-leaf, and membrane of the wings, are of a sooty-black hue.

In. Lines. Length of head and body 2 0 antibrachium 1 4⅓ thumb (claw included) 0 5½ tibia 0 7 ear 0 7 nose-leaf 0 3⅓ Expanse the wings of 10 0

Habitat, Pernambuco, Brazil. (August.)

“This species appeared to be common at Pernambuco (five degrees north of Bahia). Upon entering an old lime-kiln in the middle of the day, I disturbed a considerable number of them: they did not seem to be much incommoded by the light, and their habitation was much less dark than that usually frequented as a sleeping place by these animals.” D.

I have named this species after Mr. John Gray, the author of several extensive memoirs on the order to which it belongs, and to whom I am indebted for valuable assistance whilst comparing this and other species with those contained in the collection of the British Museum.

2. PHYLLOSTOMA PERSPICILLATUM.

I find in Mr. Darwin’s collection, a bat agreeing with the description of M. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, under the above name, with the exception of a slight difference in the dimensions; I will, therefore, add those of the present specimen, which is a female. It may be observed, that in the animal before me, the tragus of the ear is pointed, and not bifid at the apex, as represented in plate xi of the work quoted.

In. Lines. Length of head and body 4 0 antibrachium 2 7 nose-leaf 0 5 ear 0 8½ tragus 0 3 tibia 1 0 Expansion the wings of 16 8

“This bat was caught at Bahia, (latitude 13° S.) on the coast of Brazil, in consequence of its having flown into a room where there was a light. I scarcely ever saw an animal so tenacious of life.” D.

FAMILY—VESPERTILIONIDÆ.

VESPERTILIO CHILOENSIS. PLATE III.

V. fuscus: auribus mediocribus; trago elongato, angusto, apicem versus attenuato; fronte concavo; rostro obtuso; caudâ ad apicem extremum liberâ.

DESCRIPTION.—In size and colouring, this Bat very closely resembles the Vespertilio Pipistrellus of Europe; the wings, however, are considerably broader in proportion; the antibrachium, tibia, and tail, are each of them longer; the tragus of the ear is also longer, and narrower.

The muzzle is short and obtuse, and furnished on each side with numerous hairs, which, when compared with those of other parts, are of a more harsh nature. The nose is naked at the apex. The forehead is concave. The ears are narrow, and somewhat pointed, emarginated externally, and have about four transverse rugæ: the tragus is elongated, narrow, and pointed, and has the outer margin very obscurely crenulated. On the chin there is a small wart, from which spring several stiffish hairs. The tail is about equal to the body in length, and has the extreme tip free. The fur is moderately long, and of an uniform rich brown colour, and extends on to the base of the interfemoral membrane above and below; the remainder of this membrane is bare, and, together with that of the wings, of a black colour.

In. Lines. Length of the head and body 1 8 the tail 1 3½ Expanse the wings of 8 3 Length of the ear 0 5½ the tragus 0 3⅓ the antibrachium 1 5½ the thumb (claw included) 0 2½ the tibia 0 6¾

Habitat, Chiloe. (January.)

“This specimen was given me by Lieut. Sulivan, who obtained it amongst the islets on the Eastern side of Chiloe. It is not, I believe, common, nor do the humid and impervious forests of that island appear a congenial habitation for members of this family. It must, however, be observed, that even in Tierra del Fuego, where the climate is still less hospitable, and where the number of insects is surprisingly small, I saw one of these animals on the wing.” D.

FAMILY—NOCTILIONIDÆ.

DYSOPES NASUTUS.