On a new Species of Hal from West Africa. 



509 



LXXIII. — Mormopterus Wliitleyi — a new Species of Bat 

 from W. Africa. By R. F. ScHARFF, Ph.D., B.Sc. 



Three specimens of a bat, which I was unable to identify 

 with hitherto published descriptions, were sent to me by 

 Dr. J. C. Whitley from Benin City in West Africa. Before 

 describing them I forwarded one of them to Mr. Oldfield 

 Thomas, of the British Museum, who was good enough to 

 confirm my opinion that it belonged to a new species. I have 

 great pleasure therefore in naming the bat after its discoverer, 



Head of Mormopterus Whitleyi, Scharff*. 



Dr. Whitley, and herewith give a description of its most 

 salient external features. 



Ears shorter than the head and approaching one another 

 on the forehead to within 2 millim. Both the ears and their 

 short tragus are rounded off above. The antitragus is well 

 developed and separated posteriorly by a distinct notch. 

 The extremity of the muzzle projects very much beyond the 

 mandible, and the end of the nose is distinct from the upper 

 lip. The nostrils open almost laterally. The upper lip is 

 only very indistinctly folded and covered with thick bristles 

 and fine hairs. On the lower lip the bristles are confined to 

 the angle of the mouth, but the hairs extend all over it. 

 The gular sac is small. 



The dentition being \ \ ^ |, M. Whitleyi differs from all 

 other species of the genus in the possession of four lower 

 incisors instead of the usual six. 



The fur is dark brown above, the bases of the hairs being 

 pale. The underside is of a light reddish-yellow colour. 

 Nearly half the tail projects beyond the wing-membranes, 

 which reach to the ends of the tibiae 



The dimensions of the type, now in the British Museum 

 (adult <$ in formalin), are : — Total length 81 millim. ; 

 head 22; body 36; tail 2 5 ; length of forearm 36, of lower 

 leg 27. 



The height of the ear is 15 millim., the width 10. 



