The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-05-02
WINGED BLOODSUCKERS.
THE VAMPIRE BAT AND HIS
TROPICAL HOME.
Horrible story of the Death OF n Young
Lady--The Tale Discredited but
Others youched for by
Professor HenshalL

naturalist to prove this characteristic. |
While in Chill he found that the bats
worried his horses by biting them on
the withers. This caused severe In
fiamation and increased discomfort
was caused the animal by the pressure
of the saddle on the wounded parts
Zone evening Darwin noticed that n
certain horse was very restless SO he
quietly stepped up 10 the animal and
clapped his hand on his withers and
was rewarded by catching large bat
or vampire in the very act OF sucking
blood from the horse. There are really
only two species OF these ferocious
bats. One kind lives in Brazil the
other in Chill and the west OF South
America as far north as Mexico. Their
usual depreciation consists OF fastening
themselves upon larger animals and
then filling themselves with blood be-
fore letting loose. They have been
known. however, TO kill and devour
smaller species OF their own family.
but the attacks said 10 have been made.
on man are simply myths.
According TO letter written by one
James Uhl who Is engaged in the
coffee business in Calabozo, Venezuela.
his daughter met with singular death
last September. The young lady, who
had just entered her seventeenth year.
had been somnambulist since child
hood and IL was supposed that II was,
while In one OF her frequent frances
that she left the house and wandered
several miles out into the country. On
being searched for her body was found,
IL Is stated, near the roadside with a.
large vampire clinging TO her throat.
The bat attempted TO fly of at tho
approach OF the searchers, the epistle
says, but was so gorged with blood
that IL could not do so, hence IL was
easily captured. The countenanco OF
the young lady showed that her death
had been painless one. IL Is thought
by her father that she sank down In
her sleep and that the vampire ut once
fastened upon her. A small wound
was found just over tho jugular vein,
where the pearly-white teeth of the
monster had punctured the neck, all
the while soothing its victim by n
gentle. lulling movement OF Its out
spread wings.
The length OF this vampire from tip
OF wing TO tip was over three feet, and
while It's weight should have been ten
or twelve pounds IL was so gorged
with blood that IL weighed over twenty
pounds.
DIR. James A. Henshall, secretary OF
the Natural History society, when In
formed OF the case, said That story
"a a humbug. II there Is anything in
IL at all, IL is probable that the bat
fastened itself upon the young lady
after death. IL she had been asleep
the attack would have awakened her
and she would have had no difficulty in
driving 1t on"
The bat Is n great curiosity even
with natural history students. and
there is probably no creature about
which so little is known. or about
which such an air OF mystery hangs.
They frequent dark. uncanny places,
and being nocturnal In their habits.
almost effectually shut out all invcsti-
CATION. In tho first place they are
true mammals and take good care OF
their one young. II by chance the
female should give birth TO two young.
the malo will often take one 20 himself
and rear Il with as much success as the
mother Ihave known instances where
two bats have hung themselves up.
aide by side with the young clinging
10 both. This method Ii adopted %
keep the young warm. On another
occasion, boy In Philadelphia caught
a young bat and started TO carry II OF.
when tho mother few upon his breast
and suffered herself TO be captured.
Where bat enters room NJ night.
SAYS Prof. Henshell II Is not attracted
by the light but by some insect that II
Is pursuing. The fine membranes
called the wings are filed with nerves
and the animal guides itself by IL
delicate sense OF touch. There Is
popular superstition that bat breeds
bed bugs. so Il does. but not bccaus,
these insects are native 20 H. but be
cause OF It's frequenting old houses
where the insects abound. One reason
why people believe In this bcdbug stor,
Il thc odor that attends all bats. Thi
,odor IL produced 10y glands and Is do
signed for protection, and In fact !
.accomplishes It's purpose most cffcctu
ally and serves TO make the bat one o
the most disgusting creatures on earth
have known instances OF scicntif
men getting so nauseated while pursu
ing their studies OF these creatures
that they have been compelled TO stol
work for time The bat will pla.
possum effectually the time watch
ing you with half-closed eyes. As
rule they are pugnacious II attackc
and in lighting can show two beautiful
rows OF teeth that are covered with tn
whitest OF enamel. The resemblance