148 riEKorus solomonis. 



Dentition differing in no important character from that of Pt. liypo- 

 melanus, except in the slightlj smaller size of m'. 



Ears. — Size as in Pi. admiralitatum, but tip rather broader and 

 more broadly rounded off. 



Fur. — Longest hairs at middle of back about 11-13 mm. Dis- 

 tribution of fur as in Pt. liypomelanus. 



Colour. — Type (teeth well worn) and paratype (teeth slightly 

 worn). — ^Back and rump Front's brown, rather thinly and incon- 

 spicuously sprinkled with greyish-white hairs.- — Breast, belly, and 

 Hanks dark Front's brown (type) or mars-brown (paratype), thinly 

 (type) or thickly (paratype) sprinkled with grey and greyish-white 

 hairs. — Mantle and sides of neck cream-buff slightly washed with 

 ochraceous-buff, strongly contrasting with back ; foreneck similar 

 to sides of neck, but considerably darkened by admixture of 

 brownish. Base of hairs everywhere dark brown. — Crown and 

 occiput similar to mantle, passing gradually into a darker tinge ou 

 sides of head, and this in turn into the dark brownish colour of the 

 throat. 



Measurements. On pp. 151, 152. 



Specimens examined. Two, type and ])aratype of species. 



Hange. tShortland, West Solomon Islands. 



Type in collection. 



Remarls. — There can be no doubt that tliis species is an eastern 

 offshoot of Pt. liypomelanus. In the colour of the fur of the upper- 

 side it accords very closely with the New Guinean form of that 

 species {Pt. h. hiteus), difiering chiefly in the smaller size, relatively 

 shorter ears, and darker underside. In the Central Solomon Islands 

 it is replaced by the next following species. 



rt. cJ ad. al. ; skull. Shortlancl I., Solo- Dr. H. B. Gappy 84.3.2,5.1. 



iiions. [C. & P.]. 



b. 5 ad.?li.; skull. Alu, ShorMand I. : C. M. Woodford, Esq. 87.1.18..S. 



April, 1886. [C.]. ( Tf/2^e of species.) 



10. Pteropus solomonis, 7'hos. 



Pteropus solomonis, Thomas, jS'oi\ Zool. xi. p. 597 (Sept. 1904 : 

 Ghizo 1.). 



Diagnosis. — Allied to Pt. colonus, but skull slenderer, m' longer, 

 fur richer, tibia thickly haired above, colour of fur darker. Head 

 and back nearly seal-brown, underparts vandyck-brown thinly 

 sprinkled with silvery white, mantle and sides of neck cinnamon 

 mars-brown. Forearm 110 mm. Ilab. Ghizo, Central Solomon Is. 



Shid? and teeth. — Skull similar in general size to thac of 

 Pt. colonus, but slenderer, rostrum shorter and considerably more 

 compressed laterally, mesopterygoid fossa and palate narrower. 

 Length of rostrum from front of orbit to tip of nasals 15'5 mm. 

 (17-7-1S-2 in Pt. colonus), lachrymal width 11 mm. (12-7), width 

 of mesopterygoid fossa 6"2 mm. (7), width of palate between 



