244 



CHIROPTERA 



NYCTALUS MAXIMUS Fatio. 



1781. ? Vespertilio lasiopterus Schreber, Saugethiere, j)!. lvii b. See 



Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat Hist., 8th ser., viii, pp. 379-380, 



September, 1911. 

 1827. ?■? Vespertilio ferruginciis Brehm, Ornis, Heft iii, p. 26 (Renthendorf, 



Thiiringen, Germany). 

 1869. [Vesperugo nochda] var. maxima Fatio, Faune Vert. Suisse, i, p. 57. 



Co-type in Geneva Museum. 

 1900. Ptcrygistes maximns Miller, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, xiii, 



p. 156, June 13, 1900. 

 1910. Nyctalus mMximus Trouessart, Faune I\Iamm. d'Europe, p. 19. 



Tii/pe locality. — Amsteg, Uri, Switzerland. 



Geographical distribution. — At present known from a few 

 localities in Switzerland and Italy. 



Diagnosis. — Essentially similar to Nyctalus noctula but much 

 larger ; condylobasal length of skull, 22 to 23 mm. ; forearm, 64 

 to 68 mm. 



External characters. — Except for the conspicuously greater 

 size and consequent more robust form, there appears to be no 

 tangible character by which the animal can be distinguished 

 from iV^. noctula. 



Far and colour. — In the few specimens examined the furred 

 area on under surface of wing membrane behind forearm appears 

 to be better defined than in N. noctula. Colour as in the common 

 species. 



Shull and teeth. — The skull and teeth so closely resemble those 

 of Nyctalus noctula that in general they differ in their greater 

 size only. The posterior portion of occiput is, however, more 

 elevated above base of cranium than in the smaller animal, so 

 that lower edge of condyle is about on level with anteorbital 

 foramen and alveolus of canine instead of distinctly below them. 

 Correlated with this character is a more abrupt rising of lambdal 

 region above level of anterior portion of brain-case, and a less 

 nearly horizontal truncation of occipital region. Palate appar- 

 ently more concave longitudinally than in any of the smaller 

 European species. 



Measurements. — Adult male and female from Pisa, Italy : 

 head and body, 78 and 87 ; tail, 59 and 66 ; tibia, 23 • 6 and 24 ; 

 foot, 12 and 13 ; forearm, 65 and 68 ; thumb, 11 and 11 ; third 

 finger, 119 and 123 ; fifth fingcir, 76 and 77 ; ear from meatus, 

 21 and 22 ; width of ear, 23 and 24. Adult male from Venice : * 

 head and body, 92 ; tail, 65 ; tibia, 26 ; foot, 14 ; forearm, 67. 

 Adult female from Amsteg, Uri, Switzerland : head and body, 90± ; 

 tibia, 21-6 ; foot, 13 ; forearm, 64; thumb, 9*4; third finger, 

 114; fifth finger, 72. For cranial measurements see Table, p. 250. 



Specimens examined. — Five, from the following localities : — 

 Switzerland : Amsteg, Uri, 1 (Geneva ; co-type). 

 Italy: Pisa, 8 (B.M. and U.S.N.M.); Ravenna, 1. 



* Ninni, Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat., Milano, xxvi, p. 109, 1883. 



