NYCTONOMUS. 97 



the third finger white, between the first and third fingers black 

 mottled with white along the latter. 



Dimensions. Head and body about three inches; tail about 

 one inch ; forearm nearly three inches. 



Habitat. South Australia. 



Reference. Leche, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1884, p. 51, fig. 4 A. (side 

 view of head showing lobature of left tragus); B. (right tragus)', C. 

 (under view of head shoiving subsidiary sac). 



Note. In enumerating the points of difference between the 

 typical T. affinis of Dobson and his variety insignis, Prof. W. 

 Leche lays stress on the color of the wing-membrane between the 

 forearm and the third finger, but his description is word for word 

 that of Dr. Dobson, so that, unless some clerical error has been 

 committed, this difference (?) must be excised. In regard to the 

 tragus it is noticeable that the form of the lobature in the, pre- 

 sumably typical, example figured is totally different on either 

 side, as indeed is noticed by its describer, leading us to surmise 

 that this may be the result of accident, or else an individual 

 peculiarity ; if this should prove to be the case there is nothing 

 by which to separate this form from the typical species, except a 

 rudimentary subsidiary gular sac in the male, hardly a sufficient 

 difference on which to form even a variety. Prof. Leche can in 

 any case be congratulated on having added a very distinct species 

 of Taphozous to the Australian Fauna. 



Subfamily II. MOLOSSINZE. 



Tail thick, produced far beyond the posterior margin of the 

 interfemoral membrane, which is movable upon it. Legs short 

 and strong with well developed fibuhe. Feet large ; the first toe 

 and often the fifth, much larger than the others. Upper incisors 

 strong. 



Genus II. NYCTONOMUS, Geoffrey (1812). 



Extremity of muzzle broad, very obliquely truncated, projecting 

 considerably beyond the lower lip, and terminated by the sharply 

 cut margin of the nostrils. Ears united on the muzzle, or close 

 together by the bases of their inner margins ; tragus short, never 

 linear. Upper lip expansible, generally deeply grooved by vertical 

 wrinkles. First and fifth toes much thicker than the others; backs 

 of all the toes with long curved hairs. Upper incisors close to 

 the canines at their bases, separate in front, their cusps converg- 

 ing inwards and forwards. 



Dentition. I. \ or |, C. g, P. Q, M. J=? = 30 or 32. 

 Habits. Insectivorous. 

 G 



