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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



iiiKil ftiiiiiiio. In 

 fact, the power of 

 flight would bring 

 tlicni Avitliin range 

 of tlie fragrance 

 of ripening fruit 

 througliout the year, 

 if they t)ut chose to 

 travel across country 

 between five degrees 

 south and five de- 

 grees north of the 

 equator. Although 

 no positive observa- 

 tions with regard to 

 regular migrations 

 ar(> on record, and 

 only "large flights" 

 and "great num- 

 bers," without date 

 or locality, are found 

 in the descriptions 

 hy various travelers, 

 tlic (u-ciii'i'cnce of 

 several species (Eido- 

 lon helviitn. Rou.^i^et- 

 i IIS loach i. Ro iissctt us 

 (pgyptiacus. E pom o- 

 phoriis iraJilbrrr/i. 

 Epoirtojilionis (III II- 

 riis) across the east- 

 ern and southern 

 portion of the Ethio- 

 pian subregion would 

 be a good reason to 

 suggest migration as 

 the only possible so- 

 lution of their pres- 

 ence throughout the 

 entire territory .where 

 they would have to 

 starve should they re- 

 main in one region 

 throughout the year. 

 The fruit-eating 

 bats are usually built on a heavier plan 

 than their insect-feeding relatives, and 

 although they grow to a much greater 

 size, some very small forms are on rec- 

 ord. The head is nearly always more 

 elongate and the ears are more simple. 



Tlie hunting grounds of the smooth-faced "tomb bat" (Taphozous 

 naiiritianus) are over wide, steaming river beds. Its silver-gray back 

 md creamy belly, erect ears, short-haired, pointed muzzle, and relatively 

 arge eyes are as characteristic as is tlie swiftness of its flight 



A wing spread of more than two feet makes this "hawk-bat" {Sacco- 

 laiiiius peli) the largest of the insect-feeding species in Africa. Often 

 on moonlight nights, a dozen or so swoop across the village spaces, 

 uttering short chirping or squeaking sounds as they come nearer in mar- 

 velously rapid turns 



with borders joining below. The gener- 

 ally more rounded wings have, besides a 

 long thumb, a claw on the second finger. 

 This enables them to use the wing as 

 a supplementary foot, when climbing 

 about the trees in search of fruit, and 



