DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF FRUIT BAT, PTEROPUS 

 ALDABRENSIS, FROM ALDABRA ISLAND. 



nr 



Frederick W. True, 



Curator of the Department of Mammals. 



Among- the mammals recently collected by Dr. VY. L. Abbott, in the 

 islands north of Madagascar, are tAvo specimens of an interesting species 

 of Pteropns, apparently nndescribed, from Aldabra Island. This species 

 is pecnliar in having the orbits completely encircled by bone, and the 

 color of the back and hairy parts of the extremities light yellow-gray. 



The two specimens here described are both males. One was collected 

 September 20, 1892, and the other Octol)er 5, 1892. 



Pteropus aldabrensis, sp. nov. 



Ears long, acute, nearly naked. Fur dense and soft; that of the un- 

 der surfaces and rumj) wavy. Fur of the back about 20mm. long-, nearly 

 straight, directed backward and appressed. Interfemoral membrane 

 very narrow in the center and, concealed by the fur. The fur extends 

 on the upper sides of the tibia nearly to the tarsus, and there are a few 

 hairs on the tarsus and metatarsus and at the base of the claws. On 

 the under side the fur is confined to the proximal half (or less) of the 

 tibia. Upper sides of humerus and proximal half of the forearm clothed 

 with appressed fur; a naked area on the elbow. On the under side of 

 the humerus the fur extends thickly almost to the elbow. The under 

 surface of the pra^brachium is clothed nearly to the line of the middle 

 of the forearm. On the endopatagium a band of hair, having- the width 

 of the pra?brachium, extends from the sides of the body to the elbow, 

 jiud is continued (growing gradually narrower) to the carpus. The in- 

 terfemoral membrane is clothed above and below about to a line joining- 

 the centers of the tibia\ The posterior margin of the endopatagium is 

 sparsely clothed with hairs. 



INIuzzle, lower jaw, and throat dusky brown. Head and cheeks pale 

 yellow. Xape, shoulders, sides of neck, and breast bright ferruginous. 

 Abdomen ocher-yellow, shading- gradually into the ferruginous color of 

 the breast anteriorly. Back and extremities graj^-buff, tinged with fer- 

 ruginous on the humerus and tibia. Sides of the body below tlie wings 

 chocolate-brown, which color also extends to the fur on the under side 



Proceedings Katioual Museum, Vol. XVI, Xo. 'J48. [Advance sheet of this paper was issued July 

 14, 189:i.] 



533 



