In the Tamil dream of Harichándra, the frenzied Sandramáti says to the king: “I belong to the race of elves, for I killed thy child in order that I might feed on its delicate flesh.” The Vetala is said to feed chiefly on corpses. The Bhúts and other dismal ravenous ghosts, who are dreaded at the moon-wane of the month Katik (October-November), were not supposed to devour men, but only their food. Then there is the Hántu Sàburo, which chases men into the forest by means of his dogs, and if they are run down he drinks their blood. The Hántu Dondong resides in caves and crevices in rocks. He kills dogs and wild hogs with the sumpitan, and then drinks their blood. The Hántu Parl fastens on to the wound of an injured person and sucks the blood. Barth, in his _History of Religions_ (Hinduism), says that “Siva is identified with _Mrityu_, Death, and his old name _Pacupati_, Lord of herds, acquires the ominous meaning of Master of human cattle. He is chief of the mischievous spirits, of ghouls and vampires that frequent places of execution and those where the dead are buried, and he prowls about with them at nightfall.” Other classes of demons are also known as the _Rakshasas_ or the _Pisâchâs_, a word which literally means “flesh-eaters,” which Delongchamps has translated as “bloodthirsty savages,” but other etymologists actually as “vampires.” The vampire demon is no stranger to Australia. Bonwick, in his _Daily Life of the Tasmanians_, tells us that: “During the whole of the first night after the death of one of their tribe they will sit round the body, using rapidly a low, continuous recitative to prevent the evil spirit from taking it away. This evil spirit was the ghost of an enemy. Fires at night kept off these mischievous beings, which were like the vampires of Europe.” CHAPTER V VAMPIRISM IN GERMANY AND SURROUNDING COUNTRIES