Vampiro: the vampire bat in fact and fantasy

No bat so fires our imagination and is more renowned than the common vampire bat of tropical America. The vampire's singular diet of warm blood, its stealthy nighttime attacks, and its capability of transmitting deadly diseases, all strike us with fear mixed with fascination. It comes as no surprise that the vampire bat has assumed not only the real-life role, but acquired the persona of its mythical Old World counterpart. By giving this bat the ability to metamorphose in and out of human form in countless horror stories and films, we have bestowed on this small mammal a notoriety unmatched by any other animal on earth. Reality and superstition have become intertwined. But there also exists an enormous amount of reliable information on the vampire bat. Zoologist David Brown has gathered and distilled this wealth of studies, and sifted through the mythology of the REVIEW: "vampyre" to present a picture of the vampire bat in true-life form. Although written for the non-biologist, even bat-specialists will appreciate Brown's factual presentation of the life story of the vampire bat. "This is a delightful book. . . . For cavers interested in learning more about one of the most intriguing creatures that frequently dwell in Latin American caves, it is highly recommended. For aficionados of the vampyre in film and literature, it is must reading."(--CAVE CRAWLER'S GAZETTE)