52 
Some peculiarities are noticeable in the cranium of this species, 
which, if not confined to it, are certainly not extended to all the 
others, and therefore cannot be mentioned as strictly generic. The 
palate in this genus, as has already been stated, is remarkable for the 
prominence of its hinder margin; this appears to be properly a 
generic character, but it is the present species which possesses it in the 
greatest degree, and with it a great curvature of the back part of 
the palate from side to side also, giving that part of the mouth a 
pretty complete dome-shape*. It is further characterized by the 
presence of very widely separated transverse ridges. If the mouths 
of any of those species of Pteropi be examined which are affine to 
the common Pt. edwardsii, they will be found to have ten or a dozen 
transverse palatal ridges; and in a fresh specimen of Pachysoma 
stramineum, a species more affine to Epomophorus, I have counted as 
many as nine; but in EZ. macrocephalus there are not more than six, 
and, if the great length of this part of the skull be borne in mind, it 
will be readily seen that they are far apart. But the deficiency in 
number is compensated for by their great thickness and prominence. 
The first is straight, and placed just behind the incisive foramen, and 
has a central projection ; the second is also straight, but instead of 
a projection has a central notch, and is situate between the first pair 
of premolars; the third is strongly curved forwards, and is a simple 
entire ridge extended between the first pair of true molars; the 
fourth is considerably removed from the third, is equally curved and 
projecting, and has a more or less flattened surface; the fifth is of 
very peculiar form, being lozenge-shaped, with a central pit, and placed 
across the palate between the anterior roots of the zygomatic arches ; 
the sixth and last is straight and transverse, but little raised, and is 
notched in the centre. Immediately behind this last one comes the 
dvep dome-shaped hollow already noticed. 
2. EpoMoPHoRvUS GAMBIANUS, Ogilby, sp. 
Pteropus gambianus, Ogilby, Proc. Zool. Soc. pt. 3. p. 100, 1835; 
Wagn. Supp. Schrub. Siugth. i. p. 366, 1840; Schinz, Synop. 
Mamm. i. p. 135, 1844. 
Epomophorus gambianus, Gray, Mag. Zool. Bot. ii. 504, 1838. 
Epomophorus crypturus, Peters, Natur. Reise Mossam. Saugth. 
p- 26. t. v. u. xill. 1852. 
Pachysoma gambianus, Temm. Esquiss. Zool. p. 69, 1853. 
This species differs considerably in appearance from the last in 
consequence of its much shorter head. The muzzle is in fact scarcely 
more produced than that of the ordinary Pteropi, and the eye 
vary, in fact, with the fancy of the preserver. On the whole, therefore, it appears 
desirable to adopt the first of these methods. The actual expanse of the open 
wings of these specimens is not more than 17 or 18 inches. Mr. Bennett gives 
12 inches as the expanse of the specimen which has furnished the dimensions in 
Column 1, which, as M. Temminck justly observes, is certainly an error. 
* This peculiar form of the palate has most probably reference to the nature of 
the food. 
