Science: Vampire's Saliva

Dr. Raymond Lee Ditmars, famed herpetologist of the New York Zoological Park ("Bronx Zoo"), has discovered that vampire bats from the American tropics do not, as commonly supposed, suck blood from the animals on which they feed. They lap it up, the tongue darting in & out of the wound four times a second. When Dr. Ditmars brought back four vampires from Trinidad, it seemed a good chance for scientists to check another theory—that the bat's saliva contains some substance which prevents blood from coagulating and so keeps the nutrient liquid flowing freely....

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!