CYNOPTERCS BKACHYOTIS. 609 



2. Cynoptsrus brachyotis, S. Mull. 

 (Syuonyms under the subspecies.) 



Differential characters. — iSurface cusp of p, and va^ small or 

 absent; ears short, 13-18 mm. from orifice ; general size small or 

 medium, forearm 5i'5-7'2 mm. 



The relatively smaller ears are the only character by which the 

 numerous local forms of C. brachyotis, all taken together, can be 

 discriminated from C. sphinx and its modifications. 



Range. The -n^hole of the Indo-ilalayan subrcgion, extending 

 east to Celebes, north to Siani and Assam, and west to the Xicobars, 

 Andaraaus, and Ceylon. Unknown from the Indian Peninsula, 



Subspecies. — The range of this species is enormous, and tlie 

 greater part of the area it occupies is broken np into more or less 

 widely separated islands. Hence it is easy to understand that the 

 species is difFerentiated into a series of more or less well-defined 

 races. The plastic characters of these races (('. e. the characters 

 that vary according to the races, in contradistinction to those that 

 are common to all) are these : first and chiefly, the general size of 

 the animal [C. b. anr/ulafus (Siam to Sumatra) the largest, equal to 

 C. s. sphinx; C. b. minutui (Nias) the smallest race]; second, the 

 relative size of the ears [sliortest and narrowest in C. b. mimitus, 

 brach>/soma (Andamans), and scherzfri (J^icobars)] ; third and only 

 to a slight degree, the relative length of the rostrum (usually a 

 little less than, but in C. b. ceiilonensis, brachysoma, and scherzeri 

 as a rule subequal to, one-fourth of the total length of the skull). 

 The individual variation of the colour of the fur is considerable, the 

 taxonomic value of this character therefore small ; but generally 

 speaking it may be said that darker (olive or bistre) tinges are 

 predominant in C. b. awjvJatus, brighter (brown lightened with 

 russet, tawny-olive, or raw umber) in C. b. brachr/ofis, javanicus, 

 and insulartim. 



O. b. brachj/ofis is the only form of Cynopterus known from 

 Borneo, the Philippines, and Celebes ; in the Malay Peninsula 

 and Sumatra it occurs together with C. b. anrfulatus. The Javan 

 race (jaranicns) differs only hy its slightly greater average size and 

 rather broader skull. Individuals from the Kangean and ilata Siri 

 Islands, Java Sea (insularum), average still somewhat larger. The 

 Ceylonese race (cej/lonensis) is so similar to typical brachyotis as 

 to be scarcely distinguishable externally, but the cranial rostrum 

 averages a trifle longer and the dentition a little heavier. 'While 

 typical brachyotis extends perfectly unaltered from the Philippines, 

 Celebes, and Eorneo, to the ilalay Peninsula and Sumatra, the 

 small island of Xias, though situated close to the western coast of 

 Sumatra, is inhabited by a distinct race {minutiis'), characterized by 

 its small average size (smallest form of the whole genus) and rela- 

 tively small ears. The latter character, relatively short and narrow 

 ears, reoccurs in the Andaman {brachyaoma) and Xicobar (scJurzeri) 

 races, which however average conspicuously larger than mi7iiiti<s, 

 while thev differ from each other cluefiv in size, scherzeri being the 



