Zoological Society. 87& 



the ground to the top of some upright fronds, 18 feet; from the 

 ground to the crown, clean stem, 13 feet ; girth at the bottom of the 

 stem, 8 feet ; girth 5^ feet from the ground, 4^ feet ; length of 

 fronds, 10-12 feet. About halfway from the ground this plant is di- 

 vided into two stems, each stem supporting a beautiful head. No. 2. 

 Length of clean stem, 1 8 feet ; girth at the bottom, 7 feet ; girth 

 5 feet from the ground, 5| feet ; length of fronds, 5 feet. No. 3. 

 Clean stem from the ground to the crown, 20 feet ; divides into two 

 stems, one measuring 1 1 and the other 8 feet ; girth where the stem 

 divides, 5 feet ; length of fronds, 6 feet. No. 4. Length of stem, 

 20 feet ; girth at bottom, 6 feet ; girth 6 feet from the ground, 4 

 feet ; length of frond, b-Q feet. 



6. "Notice of Plants collected in the Isle of Skye," by Dr. John 

 Alexander Smith and Dr. Gilchrist. 



Dr. Smith, while residing at Armadale Castle, Skye, in October 

 and November last, observed a few interesting plants in the neigh- 

 bourhood ; Sticta Fulmonaria was in great abundance and in fine 

 fruit on the trees. Himanthalia lorea formed large patches on the 

 rocks along the shore. 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



January 12, 1858.— Dr. Gray, F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 



A Monograph of the Genus Nyctophilus. 

 By Robert F. Tomes. 



The characters of the present genus were first briefly given by 

 Dr. Leach in a communication to the Linnsean Society in March 

 1820, which was not, however, published until 1822. 



The paper is entitled, " The characters of seven genera of Bats 

 with foliaceous appendages to the nose;" the seven genera being, 

 ArtibeuSy MonophylluSy MormoopSt Nyctophilus^ Megaderma, Vam- 

 pyrus, and Madateus. 



From the manner in which Nyctophilus is here associated with 

 the other genera, it seems not unfair to assume that Dr. Leach re- 

 garded it as more or less closely affined to them ; and they, with the 

 exception perhaps of Mormoops, all appertain to the Phyllostotnidce. 



M. Temminck, in his monograph of the genus, gives it as his 

 opinion that it may properly be placed between Rhinolophus and 

 Nycteris ; and Dr. Gray, although arranging it amongst the Vesper- 

 tilionidce, or Simple nosed Bats, nevertheless places it immediately 

 after Nycteris, which he considers as belonging to the Vespertilio- 

 nidce also. But Nycteris is thought by some zoologists to have 

 some affinity with the Rhinolophidce, and my own repeated exami- 

 nations have convinced me that it is simply a modification of Rhino- 

 lophus. 



From this it would seem that the genus Nyctophilus has always 

 been considered by those who have studied the subject as either be- 

 longing to the Istiophori or Leaf-nosed Bats proper, or as having 

 some affinity with them. 



It will be the purpose of the present paper to show that the genus 



