Mr. R. F. Tomes on Vespertilio suillus. 155 



turning out to be a genus, and without perhaps ever having seen the 

 species, is a habit that cannot be too carefully avoided by the truth- 

 seeking investigator. 



At one time I was much disposed to adopt one of these names for 

 the species under view ; but a more intimate examination made me 

 pause. I found that the external peculiarities on which the genus 

 was founded were not supported by such characters in the cranium 

 as I deemed essential to generic independence. But at the same 

 time, as I have been able to examine a limited number only of spe- 

 cimens, and all of them in the state of skin, I scarcely hold myself 

 qualified to determine this point with certainty, and therefore shall 

 content myself with giving what I believe will be found a more com- 

 plete description than has yet appeared, and with pointing out some 

 affinities with other species, which have been overlooked, — believing 

 that this species, like many others, is one of those that are ever and 

 anon appearing, to warn the scientific zoologist that while he con- 

 structs generic and other divisions, and expands or contracts them 

 here or there, moulding them to what he thinks they should be, 

 nature, working to her inscrutable ends, presents such an infinite 

 variety of forms, as, in their numberless and complicated affinities, to 

 baffle and perplex the most determined systematist. 



In proceeding to give the characters of this species, I shall first 

 give those which may be supposed to be of generic or subgeneric 

 value, followed by a list of synonyms, and these again by the notice 

 of such peculiarities as appear purely specific. This paper will, by 

 this arrangement, take the form of the other monographs which I 

 have communicated to the Society. 



The top of the head is but very little elevated above the facial line, 

 just as in the group containing the Vespertilio formosits^ V. emar- 

 ginatuSy V. rvfo-pictuSy and V. Pearsonii ; and the muzzle is pro- 

 duced in about the same degree as in V.formosus. It has also about 

 the same vertical thickness in relation to its breadth as in that spe- 

 cies. The mouth and the end of the nose are also pretty much as 

 in the examples of that group ; but the nostrils have their margins so 

 much produced as to have the appearance of two tubular excrescences, 

 which, however, differ from the same parts in the Chinese examples 

 of V. formosus (with which only I have compared it) in degree ra- 

 ther than in actual difference of form. The ears are rather large 

 for the size of the animal, and are of a roundish oval form, with a 

 regular outline, and without a trace of external basal lobe. In this 

 respect they differ from those of the group above alluded to ; but 

 in the form of the tragus there is but a slight difference. It is 

 straight, narrow, and pointed, but not so long ; nor is the tip so 

 acute. 



The organs of flight are rather broad in relation to their length, 

 and are furnished with a long and strong thumb having a very short 

 basal phalange enclosed in a narrow piece of membrane extending 

 from its joint along the upper surface of the index finger. Its se- 

 cond phalange is long, as in V./ormoms^ F. emarffmatus^.&c* The. 



