PTEROPUS RUFUS GROUP. 201' 



sharply separated subsections, the one ranging over the whoha 

 of the Malagasy region exclusive of the Mascarenes, the other 

 confined to Mauritius and Reunion : — 



Malagasy type. — Pt. rufus (Madagascar), comoroisis, seychellensis, 

 aldahrensis. Chief characters (in contradistinction to Mascarene 

 type) : ears very similar in shape to those of Pt. giganteus, tibia 

 naked or thinly haired above, general style of colour as in 

 Pt. giganteus. It is noteworthy that the Malagasy species (rufus) 

 is relatively sharply differentiated from the Comoro and Seychelles 

 species (cumorensis, seychellensis), and these again from the Aldabra 

 species (aldabrensis), so that, in spite of the geography of the 

 islands, the Comoro species is closer to the Seychelles than to 

 the Malagasy species, and the Aldabra form the most peculiar 

 of the four. The Malagasy species {rufus) is the largest and 

 largest-eared form ; colour pure giganteus style ; differentiated 

 into two races, a northern and central (rufus), and a south-eastern 

 (princeps). The Comoro and Seychelles species differ from P/!. ?-«/ms 

 in rather smaller size and markedly smaller ears ; Pt. seychellensis 

 is closely similar to Pt. comorensis, except iu the much stronger 

 admixture of greyish white iu the colour of the back and rump. 

 Pt. aldahrensis is chiefly characterized by its much smaller si/e and 

 by having the colour of the back conspicuously lightened with 

 broccoli-brown or wood-brown. 



Mcoscarene type. — One species only, Pt. niger (Mauritius, 

 lleunion). Principal characters (as compared with Malagasy 

 type) : ears extremely small, nearly concealed in the fur ; tibia 

 thickly clothed above ; fur longer ; underparts dark-coloured. 

 Pt. niger is unique in the genus in its style of colour : light sides 

 of back contrasting with dark mantle and spinal tract. Owing to 

 its small ears, hairy legs, and rather rich fur, this species has 

 hitherto always been widely, by some authors generically or sub- 

 generically, separated from Pt. rufus, and associated with the other 

 hairy-legged Pteropi (dasyynallus, formosus, anetianus, pselaphon, 

 poliocephalus, &c.) ; its skull and teeth are, however, in every 

 respect, even to trivial details, similar to those of Pt. rufus and 

 comorensis. 



Affinities of group. — The Pt. nifus accords with the Pt. hypo- 

 melanus group in all essential characters of skull and dentition, 

 and, so far as its typical members are concerned, also in the quality 

 aud distribution of the fur ; it differs chiefly in the shape of the 

 ears and rather more distinct development of the interfemoral. 

 In the shape of the ears and general style of colour the Malagasy 

 Pt. rufus bears much resemblance to the Indian Pt. giganteus ; this 

 (together with the neighbouring, though widely separated, habitats 

 of these species) accounts for the fact that for many years they 

 were kept together as one species under the name Pt. edwardsi. 

 The rufus and vampyrus groups differ, however, so essentially in 

 dentition that any cio.se relationship between the groups would 

 seem to be excluded. 



