of the Malayan Peninsula. 399 



distinguished in common with the other famiUes by having their 

 form adapted for Higlit, a strong expansile membrane running 

 from the throat to the fore-feet, thence to the hind-feet, and 

 from them to the tail. 



Mr. Stark says*, that "the Galeopithcci are but imperfectly 

 known ;^^ and again, "that the largest speciesknown is not bigger 

 than a young cat." He enumerates but three species, viz. G. 

 rufus, which he classes with the Lemur volans, or flying macauco 

 of Linnseus; the G. vainegatus, supposed by some naturalists to 

 be but a variety of the preceding ; and the G. ternatensis. I am 

 inclined to think that either the Lemur volans of Linnaeus is a 

 distinct species, or else that the specimen from the Pellew islands, 

 which this author states to be about a foot long, must have been 

 a young one, as the animals of this nature in the Malayan pe- 

 ninsula are fully three feet long, and thus agree with the Lin- 

 naian Lemur volans j and measure the same across when the mem- 

 brane is expanded. 



The Galeopithecus rufus is of a dusky red ; but the fur of the 

 species now under consideration consists chiefly of brown, inter- 

 spersed with soft and hoary, or grayish-coloured hairs, which are 

 also sprinkled on the upper surface of the membrane. The inside 

 of the latter is fibrous and nearly naked. The tail long, slender, 

 and hairy. Toes five on each foot, armed with acute, crooked, 

 and slender claws. Head long, fox-shaped; mouth and teeth 

 small j ears rounded, small and membranaceous ; mammae two, 

 pectoral. 



Nocturnal in its habits, it is seldom seen before sunset, when 

 it springs from tree to tree in search of its food, which consists 

 of insects and small birds. AVhen the animal makes these leaps, 

 it expands the membrane in order to support the body by the 

 resistance of the air : it always alights however lower than the 

 place it started from, owing to the insufiiciency of this resistance 

 to thoroughly buoy up the weight of its body ; and it would, at 

 the termination of a few successive leaps, find itself on the ground, 

 were it not every now and then to run up the trunk on which 

 it alights. The one which fell into my possession in 1832 had 

 a young one clinging to the breast, and, owing to this incum- 

 brance and the closeness of the pursuit, which deprived her of 

 the opportunity of climbing, was speedily a prisoner. Both she 

 and her young one however made a vigorous resistance, emitting 

 sharp and unpleasant cries at the same time, and were not easily 

 secured even with the assistance of two or three Europeans. 



Pteropus Jav aniens J Desm., Leschenault (syn. Vesper tilio 

 vampyruSy var. 3. Linn.). The Javanese Bat, Kulowang in Ma- 



* Elements of Natural History, vol. i. p. 65. 



