9. NoctILto. 397 munched up, moving the jaws only vertically. The eating was attended with a loud and very harsh cranching of the teeth, not produced by crushing the horny parts of the insect, for it was equally perceptible when munching a bit of soft flesh. The jaws moved rapidly, but yet the mastication was a long operation, for it appeared to me to be performed almost wholly by the canines. As the insect was progressively masticated, portions were allowed to fall into the cheek-pouches (the one being pretty well filled before the other was used), which when full hung down on each side of the lower jaw to the depth of three or four lines, like distended bags, displaying a warted surface. When the whole of one cockroach had been masticated, and deposited in the pouches, it would take another, which was gradually disposed of in the same receptacles ; then, after a few moments intermission, by a contortion of the jaw, aided by the motion of the muscles of the pouch, a portion was returned to the mouth, and again masticated. This was repeated till all was swallowed, and the pouches appeared empty and contracted up out of sight. Small portions of the muscle of a bird, which were presented to one, he chewed up and deposited in the pouches; but after being regurgitated, and a second time masticated, they were expelled instead of being swallowed. The process of eating seemed an awkward one; it was a rapid succession of choppings with the long canines, through which the tongue was thrust about so nimbly that it appeared a wonder it was not impaled perpetually.
“In order to rest like other Bats, they crawled upwards and backwards by means of the hind feet, seeking the greatest elevation they could attain which afforded a hold for the claws. They were social, though both were males; usually hanging side by side, or sometimes with the leg of one crossing the leg of the other, or even one upon the other. Sometimes they brought their faces together, and licked each other’s open mouths in a singular manner; and this appeared grateful to them.”
The following note accompanied some specimens obtained by Mr. Fraser in Ecuador :—“ Esmeraldas, Noy. 1859. Skimming the bank of the river, every now and then making a dash along, and actually striking the water, catching the minute shrimps as they pass up stream. He had a very offensive fishy smell.”
a-c. ad. sks. Jamaica. P. H. Gosse, Esq. be. :
d. gd ad. al. Mount Edgecombe, Jamaica. P. H. Gosse, Esq. [C.}. e. 9 ad, al. Island of St. Thomas. Capt. Sawyer [P. ]. f. dg ad.,al. Island of Grenada. Purchased.
g. Q ad, al. ; Zool. Soc. Coll.
hk. @ ad.,al. Province of Tachira, Venezuela. Purchased, zt. fo ad., al. : M. Lidth de Jeude.
j,k. ad. sks. Interior of Brazil. Old Collection. i ad. sk. ? Brazil. J. Rocke, Esq. [P.].
m. ad. sk. Haslar Hospital.
en Zool. Soc. Coll, x, skeleton. Ecuador. Mr. Bollaert [C.].
398 EMBALLONURID.©, 2. Noctilio albiventer.
Noctilio albiventer, Spix, Simiar. et Vespert. Brasil. p. 58, figs. 2&3 (1823) ; Peters, MB. Akad. Berl. 1865, p. 570, pl. figs. 2, 2 a. Noctilio affinis, D’Orbigny et Gervais, 1. c. p. 11, pl. 10. fig. 1. Noctilio leporinus, Gervais, Expédition du Comte de Castelnau, Zovlogie, pl. 12. fig. 60 (skull) (vide Peters, J.c.), Much smaller than N. leporinus, and with a comparatively much shorter foot, the muzzle is also comparatively shorter, the fur slightly different in colour, and, as pointed out by Dr. Peters, the skull shows important differences by which this species can be alone distinguished. In other respects, in the form of the ear-conch and tragus, in the very peculiarly shaped extremity of the muzzle, in the cutaneous ridges on the chin and beneath the lower jaw (Plate XX. fig. 9), and in the number and general shape of the tecth, this species resembles IV. leporinus very closely, so closely that on a superficial examination it would, most probably, be confounded with not fully grown specimens of that species. Indeed, externally, the only character by which this species may be at once distinguished is found in the conspicuously shorter foot, which is scarcely more than half the length of that in WV. leporinus, although the forearm in adult specimens is not more than an inch shorter than in that species.
Fur bright reddish yellow above, with or without a spinal line as in JV. leporinus; beneath, pale yellowish white, slightly darker on the sides.
Incisors, canines, and premolars as in NV. leporinus, but the upper molars are close together by their bases, and the antero-internal cusps of the lower molars are consequently much less developed in a vertical direction than in that species, where space exists between the bases of the upper molars to receive them when the jaws are closed.
The skull differs greatly from that of NV. leporinus in the remarkable development of the sagittal crest and of the mastoid and paroccipital processes. The sagittal crest in the centre is nearly one tenth of an inch in height, and at its union behind with the superior angle of the occipital crest forms a large protuberance, which projects backwards and overhangs the concave supraoccipital. In XW. leporinus the sagittal crest is well developed, but not quarter the height of that in this species, and the occipital protuberance is small, and does not overhang the supraoccipital.
(For measurements see Table, p. 399.)
The above description is taken from an adult male, preserved in alcohol, which, in measurements and in general characters, agrees with the type of XW. albiventer, Spix, as described by Peters. The fur is, however, unicoloured above, without dorsal white stripe, and the infraorbital foramen is placed in the same relative position as in WV. leporinus, or even slightly higher up, not level with the zygomatic arch as in the type of NV. albiventer. This, therefore, may be an example of the variety described as N. ruber by Rengger (Sdugeth. Paraguay, p. 95), which agrees in size with Spix’s type,
10. RHINOPOMA. 399 but differs in the absence of the dorsal stripe, and is therefore, as Dr. Peters remarks, to NV. albiventer as N. unicolor to N. dorsatus. a, b. Pimm, sks. Bolivia. Mr. Bridges [C. ].
(With very distinct dorsal streak.)
e. ¢ ad., al. (without dorsal streak). M. Lidth de Jeude. d,e. skulls of a, b (with sagittal crest not more developed ; than in N. leporinus).
J. skull of ¢ (with greatly developed sagittal crest described above). - The following Table exhibits :—in the first column the measure- “ments of an adult male specimen of NV. leporinus from Venezuela, with distinct dorsal streak; in the second, those of a smaller but adult male of the same species, without dorsal streak, from Demerara; in the third, those of an adult male of WN. albiventer without dorsal streak, from the collection of M. Lidth de Jeude. Noctilio leporinus. N. albiventer.
Length, head and body, about .. ............... 40 3:25 27 - Gai) eae o st Ueecie te kd casa wade coSeeeaeen ee 11 1:2 0-9 Pe Oa Sachse as ate w seaa Cees 1:25 1:2 10 5 CAPS ial eave sanessugii neds va thse chaaeneanties 1-0 0:95 0°85 ‘3 GLAQUS: ios 2 conse ous aiags ceesseaseenanseieee 0:25 0:25 0°25 i POPCATIN: oe ois fevers ecaeawateons ssaeeanes 35 3°25 2°5 ce thumibs <Sesesevesovnenesorecaseds sees 0-48 0-45 04 e third finger, metacarpal .. . 30 2:8 2°15 - a lst phalanx 0-9 0°85 0:53 es <5 Ond- 5, waxes 29 27 21 » fourth finger, metacarpal........ » 31 29 2:2 f i. Ist phalanx ............ 0°55 0:55 0°33 i "3 Qnd 3330 Gardacevers 15 1-45 2:05 - fifth finger, metacarpal ............... 2:95 2-75 2°15 . rs Ist phalanx ............... 0-7 07 0-43 4 7 Qnd 44) ceacsaneceeess . O04 03 015 : EIDUB A tacdonsctasatae Reisen cee eoasancieot ae me 1:45 0-9 Ee CAICANIOUDD .5cosiccescscadsscaseusetceeee es 16 14 ie FOE. Sei oosciiod slows eauatice ocak oe coeeey aba 11 06 Group RHINOPOMATA.
10. RHINOPOMA.
Rhinopoma, Geoffroy, Descript. de ! Egypte, ii. p. 1238 (1812); Gray P.Z 8. 1866, p.823 Dobson, Monogr. Asiat. Chiropt. p. 174 (1876). Crown of the head slightly elevated above the face-line ; muzzle thick, obtuse, the superior extremity projecting; nostrils valvular, in the front surface of a fleshy prominence at the anterior extremity ofthe muzzle; ears united across the forehead, which is deeply concave between the eyes, as in Twphozous; tragus distinct ; indew finger with two phalanges; tail slender, produced considerably beyond the truncated interfemoral membrane. = Dentition. Inc. 4, c. => pm. — mM. 53 Upper incisors rudimentary, suspended from the small premaxillary bones, which are united in the centre, and connected laterally by
400 EMBALLONURID.&.
slender processes, as in Emballonura, with the maxillary bones. Nasal bones much expanded laterally and vertically, while, posteriorly, the frontal bones are depressed, forming a shallow concavity in the forehead.
Range. From Egypt through Asia Minor to India and Burma. Dr. Peters remarks that this genus, through the presence of two phalanges in the index-finger, the development of the feet, and the form of the intermaxillary bones, comes most closely, of all genera of Insectivorous Bats, to the Pteropine Bats.
1. Rhinopoma microphyllum.
Rhinopoma microphyllus, Geoffroy, Descript. de I’ Egypte, ii. p. 123. Rhinopoma microphyllum, Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Stiugeth. i. p.444 (1844) ; Dobson, Monogr. Asiat. Chiropt. p. 174 (1876). Rhinopoma hardwickii, Gray, Zoolog. Miscell. p. 87 (1831); Blyth, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. xiii. p. 492; Catal. Mamm. of Burma, p. 18 (1875) ; Dobson, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Beng. 1872, p. 211, figs.a-c. Vespertilio (Rhinopoma) hardwickii, Elliot, Catal. Mammals South Mahratta Country, p. 6, Madras (1840).
? Rhinopoma lepsianum, Peters, MB. Akad. Berl. 1859, p. 222. Extremity of the muzzle thick, obtuse, obliquely truncated, projecting considerably beyond the lower lip; nasal apertures consisting of transverse valvular slits; nose-leaf very small, upper margin convex, with a small raphe passing downwards between the nostrils ; forehead with a deep circular concavity between the eyes, from which a narrow groove passes forwards along the centre of the muzzle to the base of the nose-leaf. Ears shorter than the head; laid forwards the tips do not reach as far as the posterior margin of the nose-leaf; inner and outer margins slightly convex, the outer margin straight for a short distance immediately beneath the tip, extremity rounded off; the lower third of the inner margin of the conch connected by a deep band arising immediately behind the frontal depression ; outer margin ending between the base of the tragus and the angle of the mouth, not forming a separate lobule near its termination: tragus longer than wide, reaching its greatest width about the middle of the inner margin; extremity obtuse, indistinctly and irregularly toothed, inner margin straight or slightly concave, outer margin convex; at the base a triangular lobule. First phalanx of the middle finger imperfectly flexed backwards (in repose) upon the dorsal surface of the metacarpal bone. Tibia very long and straight, fibula very slender; feet long and slender, the first toe equal to the middle toe in length, as in Taphozous ; wing-membrane from the lower third of the tibia; calcaneum feeble ; interfemoral membrane very short, perforated close to its concave free margin by the long slender tail, which is produced beyond it to a distance equal to the length of the forearm. The face is almost quite naked; the margin of the upper lip is fringed with a few fine hairs, which are most dense on the truncated extremity of the muzzle, margining the upper edge of a triangular slightly concave space intervening between the margin of the upper
10, RHINOPOMA. 401 lip and the end of the muzzle above. On the back the fur is very short, and strictly limited to it, not extending upon the wing- or interfemoral membrane, and leaving a considerable portion of the posterior part of the back naked. The skin of this part and of the Wings near the body is covered with transverse and longitudinal wrinkles, as in Taphozous nudiventris and in Cheiromeles torquatus. The distribution of the fur bencath is somewhat similar; but a few fine hairs appear upon the wing-membrane near the body and upon the wings and forearm; the remainder of the wings is quite naked. The extremity of the tail has a few long hairs, as in Taphozous, and also the backs of the terminal phalanges of the fect. The nasal bones are much expanded laterally, forming round prominent projections above the infraorbital foramen on each side ; immediately behind the frontal is slightly concave; there are no postorbital processes; zygomatic arches extremely slender; bony palate very short, scarcely extending in the middle line as far back as the last molar; roof of the mesopterygoid fossa continuous with the basisphenoid and the basioccipital.
Premaxillary bones very slender, forming a commissure in the middle line, each bone supporting on its outer side an extremely slender incisor, which is directed outwards and downwards towards the canine of the same side. The single upper premolar exceeds the molars in vertical extent, with a second vertical basal cusp on its outer and anterior side; last upper molar less than half the antepenultimate molar.
The Asiatic representatives of this species differ from the African in their shorter fur, which does not anywhere extend upon the membranes, and in their much shorter tail and longer thumb. In all other respects they agree so closely together that I am unable to consider them distinct species. In the following Table the measuremetts of two perfectly adult specimens, one from Africa (the type of the species, preserved in the Paris Museum), the other from Kachh, in India, are compared :— Egypt. India.
30 30 Length, head and body............:::ceeseeeeseeeeeeeeeteeeanaeeees eo SURLY cs Saag avuew cng ecaceiee nervy wavs seeunotwacemanesoutuseenen 26 2°35 7 4, free from membrane .......6...sceeceee eee er eee es 2°25 1:65 hyeNiasjsncossdavaxcheeesessuetencatessckeereneseseursuentehiee1010 ieMOAIolurcuceuaaatasssesusieeaeraleosmontorzseeyeteetests0°850°85 > forearm....... ca 27, 26 so SHUMD! Sescksiaasactessasernsoaraat sad. .. O-4 0-5 » third finger, metacarpal ..............::seceseeeeeneeeees 1:9 18 ay ogg Lat phalanx ....0..csecsereseeccesseesees 0-4 0°45 53 ss es AON: bien © Co unetas Miiogerineamonsscmesene 08 08 ,, fourth finger, metacarpal .............::ceeeeeeeeeeeees 1-45 1:45 rs " 5 Ist phaland ...........cesecnnseeseeenees 0°45 06 4 = is Dida Gel, “ish esetecanant Ceavaatoes ae nee 0-4 0-45 ,, fifth finger, metacarpal ...............:eeeeeteeee eee 16 17 - e yy Ast plalank ...... ..ccceeeesee renee eeeeees 0-45 0°45 ; i, 5 2nd on) | geist eamad causessnmmeseumesnte 0-4 0-4 ee bea eaere eee ei 1-1 1-05 Apps eee ete ea 06 0-6
402 EMBALLONURID.E.
Specimens brought by the late Dr. Stoliczka from Kachh (N.W. India) and now in the collection of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, have large deposits of fat about the base of the tail, as in Taphozous nudiventris (which inhabits the same countries). They were obtained during the winter, and it is probable that the fat in this position is laid up on the approach of the hibernating season. Hab, Atrica (Egypt, Kordofan); Asia Minor (Palestine); Indian Peninsula generally ; Burma.
a-d. ad. sks. Egypt.
e. 3 ad., al. Egypt. G. E. Dobson, M.B. [E.]. f. ad. sk. Arashkool. Purchased.
g, h. ad, sks. Kordofan. Purchased. it. 3 & 9 ad, al. ee Quarantaria, Pa- Rev. H. B. Tristram [C.]. estine.
m. § ad., al. India. General Hardwicke [P.]. (Type of Rhinopoma hardwichit.)
n. 9 ad, al. ndia. General Hardwicke [P.]. v. fo ad, al. India.
p. & ad, al. India.
gr. fd ad, al. Allahabad, India. Secretary of State for India [P.].
s-u. ad. sks. Nusserabad.
v. ad. sk. Nusserabad, Purchased. w. ad. sk. Madras. Sir Walter Elliot [P.]. a, ad. sk. Calcutta.
y,% dim. & Sad.,al. M. Parzudaki [C.}. a’, ad. sk. Capt. Fitzroy fs :
b'-d'. ad. sks.
e'-g'. skulls. Kashmir. Prof, Oldham [P.}. h’. skull. Madras. Sir Walter Elliot te a, skull. India. Sir Walter Elliot | P.]. Subfam. IT. MOLOSSIN A.
Tail thick, produced far beyond the posterior margin of the interfemoral membrane*, which is movable upon it; antebrachial membrane very small; legs short and strong, with well-developed fibule ; feet large, the first toe (and often the fifth also) much larger than the others ; upper incisors strong. This Subfamily includes all the species of Emballonuride with short and strong legs and broad feet—whereof the first toe (and in most species the fifth also) is much thicker than the others and furnished with long curved hairs,—with well-developed callosities at the base of the thumbs, and with a single pair of large upper incisors occupying the centre of the space between the canines. The feet in all the species are free from the wing-membrane, which folds up very perfectly under the forearm and legs; and the narrow and, in some cases, rudimentary antebrachial membrane does not extend beyond the proximal half of the forearm; the inter- * Except in Mystacina.
MOLOSSI. 403 femoral membrane is retractile, being movable backwards and forwards along the tail, or (in Mystacina only, see p. 443) can be very completely folded up upon itself and hidden away like the wings. The strength of the anterior and posterior limbs, the development of the callosities at the base of the thumbs, the large flat feet with thickened outer and inner toes, the freedom of the forearms, thumbs, and feet from the volar membranes, which are very perfectly folded away (in repose), indicate collectively that the species of this Subfamily are, of all Bats, most fitted for terrestrial progression; and this induction is confirmed by those who have observed their habits. (See notes on the habits of ‘Molossus obscurus, M. glaucinus, and Nyctinomus brasiliensis.)
Group MOLOSSI.
Ears large and broad, generally united; tragus small; muzzle broad, obtuse, obliquely truncated; nostrils opening by circular apertures, their projecting margins terminating the muzzle in front; first phalanx of the middle finger folded (in repose) on the back of the metacarpal bone; legs very short and strong; feet broad, the outer and inner toes much thickened and larger than the others, and furnished with long curved prehensile hairs; tail thick, produced far beyond the posterior margin of the interfemoral membrane ; brain-case thick, flat, and broad.
In all the species the upper lip is very thick, and often deeply furrowed by vertical wrinkles, evidence of its great expansibility. The wings are very narrow, and the middle finger very long, its metacarpal bone in most species slightly exceeding the total length of the last finger. The first phalanx of the middle finger is short, less than half the length of the metacarpal bone, on the dorsal surface of which it is folded forwards in repose. The interfemoral membrane sheaths the base of the tail, and is movable at the will of the animal backwards or forwards upon it, thus increasing or diminishing its surface.
The great length and narrowness of the wings indicate rapid flight ; and the power possessed by these Bats of varying the extent of surface of the interfemoral membrane must confer upon them great dexterity in quickly changing the direction of their flight, as when obliged to double in pursuing their swiftly flying insect prey; while the extremely expansible lips evidently aid them especially in capturing during rapid flight, and in maintaining their hold on, the large round-bodied Coleoptera. Of all Bats the Moloss: appear especially suited by their peculiar conformation for capturing the most rapidly flying insects, which, no doubt, form the greater portion of their food. Their large and very strong acutely tubercular teeth would enable them to crush with ease the hard armour of the larger Coleotera.
(For remarks on habits &c., see notes under descriptions of species.)
¢ 2n2
404 EMBALLONURIDE.
Range. The tropical, subtropical, and warmer parts of the temperate regions of both hemispheres.
Synopsis of the Genera of Molossi.
a, First toe much larger and thicker than the other toes and separable from them ; ears quite separate.
a'. Premaxillary bones united; upper incisors very strong, close together in front 11, CuErromeE zs, p. 405. b. First and fifth toes much thicker than the other toes; ears united or close together by their inner margins.
b’. Preraaxillary bones united ; upper incisors close together in front .......... 12. Moxossvs, p. 407. ce’. Premaxillary bones separate, or united by cartilage only ; upper incisors separate ID MONG eNews wien enna ree tne 13. Nyctrinomvs, p. 420. The genus Cheiromeles is represented by a single species only, which, as I have previously remarked*, appears to be more closely allied to Molossus, which is restricted to America, than to Nyctinomus, of which several species inhabit the same countries with it. The genera Molossus and Nyctinomus are very closely allied, some species, as Molossus glaucinus, Wagner, and M. bonariensis, Peters, forming the connecting links between them. Nevertheless I retain these genera distinct, as they are convenient for grouping the species, and partly correspond to their geographical distribution, the species of Molossus being limited to America, while those of Nyctinomus are found in both hemispheres.
These genera have been divided into several subgenera, which depend on slight differences in dentition and in the form of the earconch and tragus. But so many perfectly intermediate forms exist that it is impossible to subdivide Molossus and Nyctinomus, which, indeed, as I have remarked above, may come to be regarded hereafter as subgenera only. Thus JM. (Promops) abrasus resembles M. rufus (the representative of the subgenus Molossus) closely in the form of the tragus and in the obtuse not obliquely truncated muzzle; and M. (Promops) nasutus, relegated to the subgenus Promops on account of its dentition, in all other respects is much more closely allied to M. rufus, with which it agrees in the peculiar form of the antitragus and tragus, and even in the distribution of the fur; while M. rufus, which differs from every other species in dentition, shows its close affinity to the representatives of the subgenus Myopterus in the perfectly similar form of its antitragus and in the shape of its muzzle.
The subgenus Mormopterus is distinguished from Nyctinomus by the absence of the first minute upper incisor, and by the distinctly separate ears; but WV. norfolcensis, Gray, is quite intermediate, agreeing with Nyctinomus in dentition, and in other respects with Mor- * “Monograph of the Asiatic Chiroptera,’ p. 177.