The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle [vol. 2 of 5] : $b MammaliaWaterhouse, G. R. (George Robert)
Science
The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle [vol. 2 of 5] : $b Mammalia
Waterhouse, G. R. (George Robert)
Beagle Expedition (1831-1836); Mammals; Zoology
“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_[2] 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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