Natural history Mandy Haga Natural history Mandy Haga

Curiosities of Bats

In 1839 there was received at the Surrey Zoological Gardens, from Sumatra, a specimen of the Vampire Bat. He was rarely seen at the bottom of his cage, but suspended himself from the roof or bars of the cage, head downwards, his wings wrapped round his body; when spread, these wings extended nearly two feet. Although this specimen was the Vampire Bat to which so many bloodthirsty feats have been attributed, his appearance was by no means ferocious; he was active, yet docile, and the only peculiarity to favour belief in his blood-sucking propensity was his long pointed tongue.

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