lUli rTKKOl'l'S BOBSOXI, 



V. TUE PtKJIOPIS aA\JC£P.S GROUP. 



Impedes.- — Pt. dohsoni, cnniceps, and argentatas. 



Itange. — North-western Anstro-Malaya : Celebes, Sanghir, Gilolo 

 group, Sula Islands, ? Amboiim group. 



General characters. — In all essential respects similar to Ft. hypo- 

 melanus and allies, but skull and dentition lieavier, ears generally- 

 longer and distinctly attenuated above, colour of body characterized 

 by a heavy sprinkling of dark fur with longer pale greyish or straw- 

 yellow hairs, the pale element occasionally predominant, particularly 

 on underside ; at least in one species a uniform mars-brown phase 

 occurs. Sexual differeutiation inconspicuous (canines heavier iu 

 males). Size below medium (forearm 135-145 mm.). 



Differentiation of species. — In the size and shape of the ears 

 Vt. dohsoni (Celebes) comes nearest to Ft. Iiypomelanus, but the 

 colour of the back is peculiar, sepia suflused with golden biiffy. In 

 Ft. caniceps (Gilolo group, Sanghir, Sula Islands) the ears are 

 longer, more attenuated above and narrowly rounded off at tip ; 

 colour, in the ordinary grizzled phase, much paler. Ft. argentatas 

 (?Amboina) is similar to i'?. «r/»'(r^j.s in the size and form of the 

 ears, but much smaller-toothed, with longer and differently 

 coloured fur. 



Affiaities of group. — Probably closely allied to the Ft. Jtj/po- 

 nielaiius group, with which it accords in the general characters of 

 the skull and teeth, distribution of fur, narrowness of central 

 iiiterfomoral, and non-development of conspicuous secondary sexual 

 characters. 



2'). Pteropus dobsoni, K. And. 

 Fteropus faacu^. Bobson, Cat. Chir. B. M. p. oD. 



I'teropus fuscus {nee E. Geoff , nee Dexm., nee Bkmiv.), Dobson, 



I. s. c. pp. 59, 552, pi. iv. tig. 5 (teeth) (Jane, 1878: Celebes); 



Trouessart, liev. ^- May. Zool. (3) vi. p. 202 (1879: Celebes); 



id., Cat. Mamm. i. p. 82 (1897 : Celebes) ; Miller, Fam. (!(- Gen. 



Bats, p. 58 (1907). 

 Pteropus (Spectrum) liypomelanus /;. fuscus, Mntschie, Mcyaehir. 



p. 25 (1809). (/. fuscus, Trouessart, Cat. Mamtn.. Suppl. p. 52 



(1904: Celebes). 

 Pteropus dobsoni, K. Andersen, Ann. S,- Mag. A*. II. (8) ii. p. 370 



(1 Oct. 1908). 



Diagnosis. — Similar to Ft. hypomelanus, but with broader 

 rostrum, larger teeth, relatively larger p,, longer wings and tibia, 

 and different colour of the fur. Back sepia suffused with golden 

 buify ; sides of head and entire underside dark vandyck-brown or 

 seal-brown ; mantle burnt-umber, strongly contrasting with back, 

 but not with underparts. Forearm 144-5 mm. Hah. Celebes. 



Shdl. — Similar in characters and general size to that of the 

 larger races of Pt. hypomeJamis, but rostrum slightly broader ; 

 lachrymal width in type, a young adult male, 16 mm. (13-2-15-7 



