e act of sucking blood from the neck of a
horse. This able naturalist and accurate observer is of opinion, that
horses do not suffer from the quantity of blood taken from them by the
Vampire, but from the inflammation of the wound which they make, and
which is increased if the saddle presses on it. Horses, however, turned
out to grass at night, are frequently found the next morning with their
necks and haunches covered with blood; and it is known that the bat
fills and disgorges itself several times. Dr. Carpenter is of the same
opinion as Mr. Darwin, and also disbelieves that these creatures soothe
their victims by fanning them with their wings.

Captain Stedman, who travelled in Guiana, from 1772 to 1777, published
an account of his adventures, and for several years afterwards, it was
the fashion to doubt the truth of his statements. In fact, it was a
general feeling, up to a much later period than the above, that
travellers were not to be believed. As our knowledge, however, has
increased, and the works of God have been made more manifest, the
reputation of many a calumniated traveller has been restored, and, among
others, that of Captain Stedman. I shall, therefore, unhesitatingly
quote his account of the bite of the vampire, "On waking, about four
o'clock this morning, in my hammock, I was extremely alarmed at finding
myself weltering in congealed blood, and without feeling any pain
whatever. Having started up and run to the surgeon, with a firebrand in
one hand, and all over besmeared with gore, the mystery was found to be,
that I had been bitten by the vampire or specter of Guiana, which is
also called the flying dog of New Spain. This is no other than a bat of
monstrous size, that sucks the blood from men and cattle, sometimes even
till they die; knowing, by instinct, that the person they intend to
attack is in a sound slumber, they generally alight near the feet,
where, while the creature continues fanning with his enormous wings,
which keeps one cool, he bites a piece out of the tip of the great toe,
so very small indeed, that the head of a pin could scarcely be received
into the wound, which is consequently not painful; yet, through this
orifice, he contrives to suck the blood, until he is obliged to
disgorge. He then begins again, and thus continues sucking and
disgorging till he is scarcely able to fly, and the sufferer has often
been known to sleep from time into eternity. Cattle they generally bite
in the