The record-union., 1896-12-07
VAMPIRES MAY BE tanned.
One of Them Confined in q Case fol
Years.

| Throngs Of curious folks are daily
crowding around the show windows OF
| q tailor shop in Fulton, near Smith
street, to watch a genuine bloodsuck-
ing vampire which is exhibited there
1t is confined in a little wire-grated
cage, not more than two feet in hight,
and even less In length and breadth.
There it hangs from the top bars day
after day, apparently Hfeless, except
for the slightest movement of the chest.
Now and then it moves it's head or sips
from little jar Of water placed in a
corner Of the cage. A sign informs the
curious that the beast has been hang
! ing in the cage for the last four years.
The appearance of the vampire does
not bear out the terrible stories told of
its kind. 1t looks peaceable and harm
less enough. But, still, it Is claimed
that many human lives are taken every
year in South America by these over
grown bats. They are supposed to live
almost wholly on animal blood, includ-
| ing that Of man.
They kill while their victims are
asleep. During the day they hide in
the impenetrable recesses Of the jungle.
At night, however, they go out for
prey. They fly almost noiselessly, and
when they see a small animal asleep
slowly suck out its blood. They gen.
orally fasten themselves to one of the
| main arteries and kill without leaving
even as much as a mark, much less a
wound.
The Specimen on exhibition, however,
hnc II
present owner, got it from a travelling
Snowman four years ago. 1t was part
OF his little menagerie, which he ex-
| hibited in the South and Central Amer
ioan States. The Snowman was strand
ed In Mexico, but succeeded in bringing
some Of his animals, including the
vampire, to the East, where he placed
| 1t in the care of Mr.. Haines Each
morning he feeds it with three bananas,
which constitutes its only food. During
the entire time Of its captivity it has
never tasted a drop of blood. But it
seems to thrive, despite this change to
vegetarianism. In the day it generally
sleeps, which explains its lifeless ap-
pearance in the cage. StHl, it has no
aversion to light. In fact, it rather
| ray of the sun touches it's cage it wrig-
giles Its body and stretches it's wings in
keen appreciation OF the genial warmth.
| This done, it drops back into its usual
| lifeless position.
1t hangs all the time, head down
| ward. In appearance it looks like a
| Bird, but it is an animal, the female
| bearing live offspring. The forward
| and rear limbs are connected with
| a fine skin, forming the wings, which
measure from tip to tip fully four feet.
The head of the animal is finely
shaped and looks much like that of a
greyhound or wolf. It's ears are sharp
and pointed, one Of them being slightly
mutlated. The wings are black in
color, the belly is seal brown, while the
back Is much lighter, turning almost
into white. The eyes are small and
have an intelligent expression. The
! tongue is long and sharp and feels as
II 1t were covered with tiny warts. 1t
has six small teeth in the lower Jaw and
full row of them in the upper. The
little beast is not at all vicious, but
| rather playful, and seems to know its
| master well.-New York Herald.