FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB 169 



group of this family in which the tail, when present, perforates 

 the membrane between the legs ; the nose leaf is spear-shaped. 

 Itis a most horror-striking animal when viewed from in front, with 

 its ears standing erect from the sides and the top of the head, 

 its spear-shaped nose-leaf and its powerful canines. No wonder 

 it was imagined that this animal must be the terrible blood 

 sucking vampire, but such is not the case, for it is a most 

 harmless bat and is reported to feed principally on fruits. This 

 species has no tail. Chiloyiycteris davyi is a small bat closely 

 allied to CMonycteris rubiyinosa. I have caught them both 

 in the gardens. The former is characterized by its wings 

 being attached to the centre of the back instead of the 

 sides of the body and its back is entirely naked, a peculiarity 

 not yet accounted for. This genus differs from the other 

 members of the family in the absence of a nose leaf the function 

 of which is performed by folds of skin depending from the 

 chin. It is usually of a dull brown colour. Of the fruit 

 eating species belonging to this family, Artibeus, four species 

 of which up to date have been discovered, the most con- 

 spicuous are A. perspicillalus, A. j)l(inirostris, A.quadrivittatus and 

 A hartii. They are easily recognizable by their blunt faces and 

 the interfemoral membrane, concave behind, no tail being 

 present. The largest species, A. planirostris, has a large and 

 fleshy nose leaf, the sides of the process being rounded and not 

 produced upward into lobes. They are particularly fond of 

 sapodillas, mangoes, pomme-malac and guavas and begin to fly 

 very early in the evening. They seem to be very strong and 

 muscular, often making several darts at a fruit but eventually 

 picking it, however difficult it may be ; after picking the fruit the 

 bat resorts to another tree, sometimes a long distance off, there 

 hangs by its hind feet and clasping the fruit with its thumbs eats 

 it leisurely ; they do not seem to be always able to discriminate 

 between ripe and unripe fruits, and often pick green ones 

 which they drop ; this accounts for the quantity of fruit one 

 finds under these trees. A. perspicilhitus is very little smaller and 

 can be at once recognized by the two longitudinal white lines on its 

 head ; these two species are often found under the eaves of houses. 

 A. bilobatus is smaller yet and is distinguished by the edges 

 of the basal part of the nose leaf being produced upwards into 

 lobes ; it is much less common and more often found in the 

 country districts than in Town. Its habits are identical with 

 A. ])lanii-os(ris. I may here add that the latter was supposed 

 by Charles Waterton to be the blood-sucking bat. We come 

 now to the true blood-sucker, Des modus ru/n.s. The canines 

 are as sharp and pointed as needles, it has no true molars 

 and no spur on the ankle for the support of the membrane 

 between the legs. Darwin, up to date was the only person 



