11. CHEIROMELEs. 405 mopterus ; and the discovery of NV. albiventer, Dobson (described further on), adds another intermediate form *. 11. CHEITROMELES.
Cheiromeles, Horsfield, Zool. Researches in Java (1824) ; Temminch, Monogr. Mammal. ii. p. 345; Dobson, Monogr. Asiat. Chiropt. 1876, p.177; id. P. Z. S. 1876, p. 704.
Ears separate, as in Taphozous ; extremity of the muzzle projecting considerably beyond the lower jaw ; lips smooth, not grooved by vertical wrinkles ; first toe much larger than the others, and separable from them.
“1° 2 1-1 1—1 3—3 Dentition. Ine. 5, ¢. joie PM. = 5, Mm.
Premaxillary bones well developed, conjoined, supporting two strong incisors.
Range. Indo-Malayan Subregion.
1. Cheiromeles torquatus.
Cheiromeles torquatus, Horsfield, Zool. Researches in Java (1824). Dysopes cheiropus, Temm. Monogr. Mammal. i. p. 218, pl. xvii. Cheiromeles caudatus, Temm. J. c. ii. p. 848, pl. xvi. Ears shorter than the head, triangular, with narrowly rounded tips ; the inner margin of the ear-conch papillate along upper half as in some species of Tauphozous ; antitragus distinct, rounded ; tragus very small, the inner margin not developed, the outer with a small projection near the base. Muzzle long, obliquely truncated, the extremity projecting very considerably beyond the lower jaw. An enormous gular sac extends round half the neck beneath. Into this sack the oily secretion of glands situated between the internal origins of the pectoral muscles is discharged, in males by a series of * The following is a synopsis of the characters of these subgenera :— Gen. Motossvs.
a. Ears more or less united.
2— a’, Premolars — ; upper incisors with diverging summits, and with their broad bases close to theGaninesyisejodieets/esesecasossereaesecuendesPromops,Gervais. bo’. Premolars as upper incisors parallel by their inner margins, their bases close to the CANINGS<.SereassivasceaseeeeiucascbariaeeetacaaeeMolossus(Geoffr.),Ptrs. 6, Ears distinctly separate; upper incisors with diverging summits, their bases removed from the canines by a diastema ............0..00000088 Myopterus, Geoffr. Gen. Nycrinomus.
«. Hars very close or united together ; upper lip deeply grooved by vertical wrinkles; premolars =AeaRnaulinaeEneRaeMearsHAAGahaheewaeataneNyctinomus(Geoffr.),Ptrs. Ears distinctly separate; upper lip slightly wrinkled ; premolars Pee ee Mormopterus, Pts.
406 EMBALLONURIDE.
small pores collected in two circular slightly elevated patches, in females by a single large orifice (Plate XXI. figs. 1, 1a). First toe very thick, with long curved hairs on the outer side. This toe is separated from the others like a thumb, and is probably opposable to them. Wing-membrane from the middle of the tibia and from the sides of the back near the spine. A deep axillary pouch is formed, in both male and female, by an extension of a fold of skin, derived from the thick integument covering the breast and sides of the body, to the inferior surface of the humerus, and, longitudinally, to the femur. In the anterior part of this pouch, on the side of the body, behind the axilla, the mamma is placed.
Tail very thick and long, projecting more than half its length beyond the short interfemoral membrane.
Integument very thick and almost quite naked, with strong plications along lines of flexure and extension ; the back is quite naked, but a collar of very short thinly spread hairs nearly surrounds the neck.
Upper incisors strong, placed close together, their extremities converging inwards; the single upper premolar large and tricuspidate ; first lower premolar minute, wedged in in the space between the canine and second premolar, which are close together ; the last upper molar less than half the size of the second molar. Length, head and body 5'"3, tail 2”-6, head 1'°8, ear 1'*2, tragus 0°15, forearm 31, thumb 0:8, third finger 7”, fourth finger 5-6, fifth finger 3'-1, tibia 1'°4, foot 105.
Hab. Malay Peninsula (Pinang; Singapore); Sumatra; Java ; Borneo.
This most remarkable species, the only known representative of the genus, differs altogether from all the species of this group inhabiting the Eastern Hemisphere, and appears to be most closely allied to some of the species of the genus Molossus, which is limited to America. In no species of Bat is the gular glandular apparatus so greatly developed and so different in structure according to sex, and in none also is the integument of the body so remarkably thickened and devoid of hair. The nursing-pouches are also peculiar to this species, and are probably absolutely necessary for the preservation of the young, which could scarcely otherwise succeed in maintaining its hold on the naked body of the mother during flight. It is interesting to find these pouches developed in both male and female; for their presence in the former suggests the idea that, where two young are born together, the male may relieve the female of the charge of one of them, as I have shown is most probably the case in Cynonycteris grandidierti and in Cynopterus marginatus (vide anted, pp. 79 & 83).
a, ad, sk. N.W. Borneo. Mr. H. Low [C.1.
b. ad. sk. Malacca. Purchased.
c. & ad., al. Borneo. Lords of the Admiralty.
d. 3g ad., al. Borneo. Purchased.
e. skull of 0.
f. skeleton. Borneo, Sir Io. Belcher [C.].
12. MoLossus. 407 12. MOLOSSUS.
Molossus, Geoffroy, Ann. du Muséum, vi. (1805) p. 154; Peters, MB. Akad. "Berl vats, Oia a i a aa Dysopes, Illiger, Prodr. Syst. Mammal. (1811) p. 122. Ears close together or united at the bases of their inner margins ; tragus very short, sometimes minute; extremity of the muzzle broad, obtuse, or very obliquely truncated ; lips smooth or with very indistinct vertical wrinkles ; first and fifth toes much thicker than the others, the ba of all the toes with long curved hairs. Dentition. Inc. 5 or 7, c. &, pm. 4 or 22, mm. Premaxillary bones well developed, united ; upper incisors strong, their cusps close together in front. Range. Tropical and subtropical regions of America. Synopsis of the Species.
I, Muzzle rounded in front ; lips smooth, not wrinkled ; tragus triangular or linear. a. Antitragus circular, as high as long. a’, Tragus triangular, with a broad base ; inner margins of the ears arising from the forehead by separate points of origin; inc. 5, pm. — a’, Ears obtusely pointed.
u. Centre of breast and abdomen pale yellowish brown; furearm USD Rena a stale hee noart uates 1. ML temminehii, p. 408. b". Ears rounded off above.
B. Centre of breast and abdomen white; forearm 135 ........ 2. M. planirostris, p. 408. y. Centre of breast and abdomen not different from sides; foreard Wed) sei atta cise 38 3. DL. brachymeles, p. 410. b’. Tragus linear, subacutely pointed ; inner margins of the ears arising from the same point, or very close together.
ce”. Ine. 5, pm. a the first lower premolar half internal to the toothrow, partially concealed by the much larger second premolar.
8. Fur very short; forearm 1"-7- 70 eee nire eg ate cheer aie rari 4, M. rufus, p. 410. da", Inc. 5, pm. — the first lower premolar in the tooth-row.
«. Fur moderately long; forearm DEaecreiavale-e608shiocejaevelmusece«6.M.nasutus,p.414. b. Antitragus half-oval or half-cordate, longer than high, tragus linear ; ine. > 2—2 ¢. Forearm 2'-45 ... cee eee eee 6. M. abrasus, p. 414,
408 EMBALLONURID.E.
II. Muzzle very obliquely truncated, its superior and external front margins formed by the sharply cut cartilaginous rims of the nostrils ; tins smooth or very slightly wrinkled; tragus quadrate; inc. 7, pm. 2-2 2-2:
a, Ears longer than the head; gular sac large; first upper premolar external. n. Forearm 2!"0 ..0s.siecce see 7. M. perotis, p. 416. b. Ears shorter than the head; gular sac small; first upper premolar in the tooth-row.
6. Upper lip smooth ; forearm 2-35. 8. MM. glaucinus, p. 417. «. Upper lip slightly wrinkled; fore- BTM LS! aciunwainsowraccawak: 9. VM. bonariensis, p. 419. 2 1-1 F Ine. 7, pm. 33; ears separate ; tragus triangular. (Subgenus Myoprerus, Geoff.)
1. Molossus temminckii.
Dysopes temminckii, Lund, Burmeister, Thiere Brasiliens, p. 72 (1854).
Molossus (Molossops) temminckii, Peters, MB. Akad. Berl. 1866, p-575.
Molossus temminckii, Dobson, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 707. Ears rather small, pointed, their inner margins arising from the forehead by separate points of origin; antitragus circular; tragus short and obtuse, with a broad base. Extremity of the nose slightly prominent, broad, and flat, with an obtuse projection between the nasal orifices, but without arched ridges above them ; lips smooth, with a few straight hairs.
Fur, above, reddish brown at the extremities, the base of the hairs yellowish white; beneath, similar, but paler. Integument and membranes dark throughout.
Calcanea very long, reaching almost to the tail. Length, head and body 15, tail 1”, tail free from membrane 0'-5, forearm 1'°2, caleaneum 0°65. Hab, Brazil (Lagoa Santa).
The above description has been taken from the original description by Burmeister, as I have not seen the type. 2. Molossus planirostris.
ae (Molossops) planirostiis, Peters, MB. Akad. Berl. 1865, p. 575.
Molossus planirostris, Dobson, P. Z, S. 1876, p. 707. Ears much shorter than the head, their inner margins arising from the sides of the superior surface of the face above and in front of the
12. Motossus. 409 eyes, their points of origin widely separate ; upper three fourths of inner and outer margin regularly convex, forming almost an arc of a circle ; keel of the car-conch very slightly developed: tragus short, triangular, with a broad base, acutely pointed, inner margin straight ; antitragus large and round, very similar in shape and size to that of i. rufus (p. 410), but its base is somewhat broader: muzzle flat, smooth and naked above, extremity obtuse, not obliquely truncated ; the margins of the nasal apertures not prominent, placed high above the margin of the upper lip; lips smooth, not wrinkled. A distinct, but not large, gular sac in male, rudimentary or absent in female. Wings from the distal third of the tibie.
Fur very short ; above, dark brown, the bases of the hairs white ; beneath, along the sides of the body, brown; the chin, neck, and a broad longitudinal band on the chest and abdomen yellowish white. The fur of the body extends upon the wing-membrane above and beneath, nearly as far outwards as a line drawn from the middle of the humerus to the middle of the femur, the remainder of the membrane nearly naked ; a few fine hairs appear behind the distal half of the forearm on the upper surface, and clothe the proximal third of the fifth metacarpal bone; beneath, the wings are quite naked except along the sides of the body.
Upper incisors long, the centres of their inner sides close together, their bases and summits separated ; lower middle incisors slender, with grooved crowns; outer incisors very small, between the middle incisors and the canines, and not grooved. First upper premolar large, close to the canine, with a large anterior and internal basal cusp, and a smaller cusp posterior and external ; lower canines, on each side, with a small internal basal cusp which nearly touches its fellow of the opposite side.
Length (of an adult g), head and body 2'°3, tail 1'"2, tail free from membrane 0''4, head 0'°85, ear 0'''6, tragus 0'"15 x 0""1, forearm 1°35, thumb 0:25; third finger—metacarp. 1°35, 1st ph. 0-6, 2nd ph. 0'-65; fourth finger—metacarp. 1-25, Ist ph. 05, 2nd ph. 0'-2; fifth finger—metacarp. 0'°85, 1st ph. 0-4, 2nd ph. 0''-15 ; tibia 0'"4, foot 0’'3.
Hab. Brazil (Buenos Ayres; Barra do Rio Negro); British Guiana (Berbice).
a, f ad., al. Berbice. Purchased.
6. ad. sk. River Cupari, Amazons. H. W. Bates, Esq. [C.]. The next species is probably identical with Myopterus daubentonit, Geoffroy (Descr. de I’Egypte, ii. p. 113), with which it agrees very closely in the length of its skull, the only remnant of the type of that species, which therefore cannot be accurately determined. Of this skull Prof. Peters (MB. Akad. Berl. 1869, p. 402) has given the following measurements :—“ Length 0°85, width across zygomatic arches 05, length of upper tooth-row (not including incisors) ("-32, length of lower tooth-row 0°35.”
410 EMBALLONURIDE.
3. Molossus brachymeles.
Molossus (Molossops) brachymeles, Peters, MB. Akad. Berl. 1865, 575.
Molossus brachymeles, Dobson, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 708. Appears to differ from the preceding species only in being conspicuously larger, in the different colour of the fur of the under surface, and in its slightly different distribution. Fur, above, dark brown, the base of the hairs paler; beneath, reddish brown. The antebrachial membrane is covered with a small patch of fur along the forearm; and the wing-membrane between the metacarpal bones of the last two fingers and the forearm. Beneath, the fur of the body extends upon the wing-membrane along the sides of the body only; the remaining parts are quite naked.
Total length 4", head 0'9, ear 0’-6, forearm 1'-7, middle finger 3'°4, tibia 0'°5, foot 0°46.
Hab. Peru.
The above is taken from Prof. Peters’s description of the only specimen known, a stuffed skin, preserved in the Neuchatel Museum.
2 1-1 .
Ine. 5, pm. 55; ears close together; tragus linear. (Subgenus Morossvs, Ptrs.)
4. Molossus rufus.
Molossus rufus, Geoffroy, Ann. du Mus. vi. (1805) p. 154; Peters, MB. Akad. Berl, 1865, p. 575 ; Dobson, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 709. Molossus wrsinus, Spix, Simiar. et Vespert. Brasil, (1823) p. 58, pl. xxv. fig. 4; Peters, J. c. 1865, p. 588, pl. figs. 3, 8¢ (skull). Dysopes alecto, Temminck, Monogr. Mammal. i. p. 231. Dysopes holosericeus e¢ albus, Natt. Wagner, Wieym. Archiv, 18438, p. 868 (vide Peters, MB. Akad. Berl. 1866, p. 22). Dysopes ursinus, Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Sdugeth. v. p. 709 (1855). Ears much shorter than the head, their inner margins arising close together, slightly in front of a line drawn between the eyes, from a point on the forehead, from which a sharp ridge passes forwards on the face to the nose ; outer and inner margins of the earconch convex, forming almost a regular semicircle; antitragus circular, arising by a narrow base, from which it expands equally anteriorly and posteriorly ; tragus minute, linear, acutely pointed ; extremity of the muzzle obtuse, rounded, projecting beyond the lower jaw; the nasal apertures directed forwards and slightly outwards, separated by a considerable interval (which is covered with short, erect hairs dilated at their extremities) from the margin of the lip, beyond which the extremity of the nose scarcely projects ; lips thick, smooth, without wrinkles.
In the male the opening of a large glandular sac directed forwards is found opposite the anterior extremity of the sternum; in the female this sac is much smaller.
12. mMoLossts. 411 Wings from the ankles.
Fur very short ; deep reddish brown above and beneath. The face and ears are nearly naked. On the upper surface the wingmembrane is covered as far as a line drawn from the middle of the humerus to the middle of the femur, and short fur extends upon half the antebrachial membrane, and behind the distal two thirds of the forearm to the carpus, covering also the angle between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones ; behind, the base of the interfemoral membrane also is covered. Beneath, the fur of the body extends upon the wing-membrane almost as far outwards as a line drawn from the elbow to the knee; and a band passes outwards behind the elbow, becoming gradually wider towards the carpus till it occupies a space there extending from the forearm to the middle of the metacarpal bone of the fifth finger, beyond which it passes and occupies the angle between it and the metacarpal of the fourth finger, being limited in its extent outwards by the muscular band extending to the wing-membrane in this position; a small space between the proximal extremity of the fifth metacarpal and the short muscular band, extending from the end of the forearm to the wing-membrane, is naked.
Upper incisors moderately long and acutely pointed, converging inwards and forwards, their bases touching the canines, their inner sides approximated, at the outer side of the base of each tooth a small blunt projection from the cingulum, which touches the canines ; the single upper premolar large and close to the canine; lower incisors two, bifid, in front of the closely approximated canines, which have each a broad internal basal cusp; first lower premolar scarcely half the size of the second, which it lies so close to as to be with difficulty distinguished in recent specimens as a separate tooth, its outer and posterior side is partially covered by the obliquely directed cingulum of the second premolar; last upper molar narrow, less than half the size of the antepenultimate molar. Length (of an adult g), head and body 35, tail 2”, head 12, ear 0'"65, tragus 0’-1, forearm 2'°1, thumb 0"-4; third finger— metacarp. 2”, Ist ph. 1°05, 2nd ph.1""15; fourth finger—metacarp. 1-95, Ist ph. 0-9, 2nd ph. 0-2; fifth finger—metacarp. 1'"3, 1st ph. 0'-55, 2nd ph. 0'"25; tibia 0-7, foot 0'"5.
Hab. Mainland of Tropical America (Rio de Janeiro; Pernambuco; Para; Rio Negro; Dutch Guiana; Oaxaca).
a,b. 6 & 9 ad, al. Oaxaca, Mexico. Purchased.
ec. 9 ad,, al. Choctan. Purchased.
d. 3 ad., al. Pernambuco. J.P.G. Smith, Esq. [P.]. e. 2 ad., al, Brazil. :
fig- Q@ ad., al. M. Lidth de Jeude.
A. skeleton. Brazil.
412 EMBALLONURID.
Var. a (Molossus obscurus).
Molossus obscurus, Geoffroy, Ann. du Mus. vi. p. 154 (1805) ; Gervais, Expéd. du Comte de Castelnau, Zoologie, p. 58, pl. xii. fig. 5 (skull) (1857); Peters, MB, Akad. Berl. 1865, p. 575 ; Dobson, P. Z. 8.1876, .710.
Melgcu longicaudatus, Geoffroy, I. c.
Molossus acuticaudatus, Desm. Mammal. p. 116 (1820) (vide Peters, 1. c. 1869, p. 402).
Dysopes velox, Natt., Temminck, Monog. Mammal. i. p. 234 (1827) ; agner, Suppl. Schreb. Sdugeth, i. p. 476 (1844), v. p. 712 (1855) ; Burmeister, Thiere Brasiliens, Th. i. p. 71 (1854). Molossus velox, Gray, Mag. Zool. §& Bot. ii. (1838) p. 501. Molossus fuliginosus, Gray, 7. ¢.
Molossus tropidorhynchus, Gray, Ann. § Mag. Nat. Hist. 1839, p. 5. Dysopes olivaceo-fuscus, Natt., Wagner, Abh. Miinch. Akad. v. p. 202 (1844) (vide Peters, J. c. 1866, p. 22).
Dysopes fumarius, Burmeister, I. c. p. 71.
Molossus fumarius, Gosse (non Spix'), Nat. Sojourn in Jamaica, p. 292 (1851); Osburn, P. Z. 8. 1865, p. 79.
Quite similar to MZ. rufus in structure, but much smaller, the forearm constantly measuring 17 or less, as compared with 2’-1. The fur covering the wing-membrane between the humerus and forearm extends somewhat further outwards, and the upper incisors are closer together. Colour variable, from intense brown to fulvous, rather lighter beneath; ears and all membranes black. The female does not differ in size or colour from the male (Gosse), but may be at once distinguished by the small size of the gular gland. It will probably be found hereafter, when a sufficiently large number of specimens are available for examination, that the above-named differences are unimportant, and that the only real difference consists in size. Length (of an adult 3), head and body 2”:7, tail 1-6, head 0'-85, ear 0'"55, tragus 0'°08, forearm 1°65, thumb 0:3; third finger —metacarp. 1-6, Ist. ph. 0°75, 2nd ph. 0-6; fourth finger— metacarp. 1°55, 1st ph. 0°65, 2nd ph. 0-15; fifth finger— metacarp. 095, Ist. ph. 048, 2nd ph. 02; tibia 0'°55, foot O"4.
Hab, Tropical America and its islands, apparently generally distributed. Found in Peru at an elevation of 9000 feet. The habits of this variety (which are probably generally similar to those of the larger form of this species) have been observed in Jamaica by Mr. P. H. Gosse and Mr. W. Osburn (vide references in synonymy above). It inhabits the hollow trunks of palms and other trees, and also the roofs of houses. Mr. Gosse remarks that it is more active on the ground than any other species. On the least touch it ran, or rather crawled, about with such agility that it was not easy to seize it. When running it rests on the wrists, elevating the front of the body considerably. The males congregate together. This is probably the case in all species of Bats, the males approaching the females during the breeding-season only. Mr. Osburn notices that during the breeding-season the gular glands in the male are humid and swollen, opening on pressure like two lips ; and a very