FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. 167 



absence of a nose leaf, and as a rule they have a small tragus 

 in the ear and only a single pair of upper incisor teeth which 

 incline towards one another. The tail is partially free and per- 

 forates the interfeinoral membrane, appearing on the upper 

 surface or produced far beyond the posterior margin. This fa- 

 mily is largely represented in the Neo-Tropical Region in which 

 Trinidad is situated, and contains fruit eaters, insect caters as 

 well as salt and fresh water fishers. Noctilio leporinus be- 

 longs to this family. They are also commonly called mastiff 

 bats on account of the supposed resemblance of their broad, 

 wide-mouthed muzzle, to the head of a mastiff and are the 

 first representatives of the above family. They are characterized 

 by the thickness of their tails which are prolonged beyond the 

 outer margin of the interfeinoral membrane. Of all our bats 

 they are the ones that can best crawl, on account of a 

 peculiar corn-like callosity at the base of the thumb. The 

 hind legs are free from the wing membrane and their wings 

 are long and slender. This great length and narrowness 

 of the wings indicates as Dr. Dobson observes, rapid 

 flight, and since they have the power of varying the 

 great length of the membrane between the legs by a sort of 

 i-eefing process they must have great dexterity in suddenly 

 changing their direction. It is curious to note Molossus (ru/us 

 and obscurus) flying at dusk between the Zamand trees in 

 Queen's Park, catching insects. They fly high and very much like 

 swallows, their flight is excesdingly rapid and it is interesting to 

 note them in the act of capturing their prey, their power of 

 sight must be intensely developed for, notwithstanding the 

 rapidity of their flight every now and then they will dart side 

 ways, and sometimes swoop down a distance of at least 15 feet 

 to pick up an insect which tlies about one foot from the surface of 

 the savannah. Molossus obscurus is not so common in town, 

 though I have captured them in the roofs of houses. They arc 

 smaller than their ally J/, ru/us and insinuate themselves 

 between the galvanized sheeting and the wood-work of roofs, 

 their deposits often collect in the gutterings and is a source of 

 danger to those who use rain water for drinking purposes as 

 they pollute the water and it may become injurious. 

 This bat however is more often found in the outskirts of the 

 town and lives in decayed stumps of tree-;. An interesting 

 little bat is the Saccopteryx biliwiata, a pretty little creature of a 

 brownish colour with i . ! white lines running down 



the back. We possess three members of this genus S. bilineata 

 S. leptura and .v. canina which are remarkable for their pouched 

 wing; and have derived their name from this peculiarity. The 

 number of incisors is 1-3 and the cheek teeth 5-5 on each side. 

 These pouches are well developed in the males and almosl 



