﻿a 
  new 
  Genus 
  of 
  Bats 
  from 
  West 
  Africa. 
  211 
  

  

  genus 
  Nyctinomus, 
  which 
  it 
  resembles 
  in 
  general 
  external 
  

   characters 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  presence 
  of 
  the 
  small 
  upper 
  premolar; 
  

   but 
  the 
  absence 
  of 
  / 
  2 
  > 
  the 
  peculiar 
  position 
  of 
  the 
  single 
  pair 
  

   of 
  minute 
  lower 
  incisors, 
  and 
  the 
  unusual 
  shape 
  and 
  

   arrangement 
  of 
  the 
  upper 
  and 
  lower 
  canines 
  are 
  more 
  than 
  

   sufficient 
  reasons 
  for 
  considering 
  the 
  genera 
  as 
  quite 
  distinct. 
  

   As 
  regards 
  the 
  genus 
  Chcerephon 
  the 
  same 
  differences 
  hold 
  

   good, 
  with 
  the 
  additional 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  median 
  anterior 
  

   palatal 
  emargination 
  present 
  in 
  Xiphonycteris. 
  

  

  In 
  the 
  possession 
  of 
  only 
  a 
  single 
  pair 
  of 
  lower 
  incisors, 
  

   and 
  in 
  having 
  the 
  lower 
  canines 
  in 
  contact 
  with 
  one 
  another, 
  

   this 
  genus 
  in 
  some 
  ways 
  resembles 
  the 
  South-American 
  

   genus 
  Molossops 
  ; 
  but 
  the 
  two 
  genera, 
  on 
  account 
  of 
  numerous 
  

   important 
  differences, 
  cannot 
  be 
  looked 
  upon 
  as 
  close 
  allies. 
  

  

  Xiji/ionycteris 
  spurrelli, 
  sp. 
  n. 
  

   General 
  appearance 
  and 
  size 
  much 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  smaller 
  species 
  

   of 
  Nyctinomus. 
  Ears 
  roughly 
  triangular 
  in 
  shape, 
  with 
  

   rounded 
  corners; 
  tragus 
  and 
  antitragus 
  apparently 
  normal. 
  

   Feet 
  comparatively 
  small; 
  toes 
  hairy, 
  the 
  hairs 
  extending 
  

   along 
  the 
  margin 
  of 
  the 
  interfembral 
  membrane 
  for 
  about 
  

   10 
  mm. 
  Wings 
  small, 
  forearm 
  only 
  27 
  mm. 
  long; 
  wing- 
  

   membrane 
  very 
  narrow. 
  Hair 
  on 
  back 
  short, 
  a 
  few 
  longer 
  

   hairs 
  near 
  base 
  of 
  tail. 
  General 
  colour 
  of 
  back 
  rusty 
  red, 
  

   hairs 
  rather 
  lighter 
  at 
  base 
  than 
  at 
  tips. 
  Under 
  surface 
  of 
  

   body 
  buffy 
  white, 
  the 
  hairs 
  becoming 
  brownish 
  on 
  the 
  flanks 
  

   and 
  sides 
  of 
  neck. 
  Tail, 
  as 
  described 
  above, 
  with 
  terminal 
  

   half 
  free. 
  Interfemoral 
  membrane 
  naked 
  on 
  upper 
  surface, 
  

   below 
  thinly 
  clad 
  with 
  very 
  minute 
  white 
  hairs. 
  

  

  Skull 
  with 
  rather 
  narrow 
  brain-case, 
  markedly 
  so 
  in 
  the 
  

   occipital 
  region. 
  Supraoccipital 
  crest 
  well 
  developed, 
  ex- 
  

   tending 
  back 
  some 
  distance 
  beyond 
  the 
  exoccipital 
  region. 
  

   Sagittal 
  crest 
  but 
  little 
  developed. 
  Zygoma 
  fairly 
  strong, 
  

   expanded 
  posteriorly. 
  Anteorbital 
  foramen 
  large. 
  Lachrymal 
  

   ridge 
  faintly 
  indicated. 
  Anterior 
  palatal 
  emargination 
  about 
  

   as 
  large 
  as 
  base 
  of 
  upper 
  incisor, 
  extending 
  well 
  behind 
  

   the 
  roots 
  of 
  incisors. 
  Palate 
  slightly 
  arched 
  laterally, 
  nearly 
  

   flat 
  antero-posteriorly 
  ; 
  pterygoids 
  almost 
  parallel, 
  slightly 
  

   divergent 
  behind 
  ; 
  basisphenoid 
  pits 
  moderately 
  developed. 
  

   Auditory 
  bulla? 
  small 
  and 
  rather 
  flat. 
  

  

  Teeth 
  as 
  described 
  above. 
  

  

  Dimensions 
  of 
  the 
  type 
  (measured 
  in 
  flesh) 
  : 
  — 
  

  

  Head 
  and 
  body 
  56 
  mm. 
  ; 
  tail 
  24 
  ; 
  hind 
  foot 
  8 
  ; 
  ear 
  13 
  ; 
  

   forearm 
  27. 
  

  

  Skull: 
  greatest 
  length 
  17 
  ; 
  basilar 
  length 
  12'2 
  ; 
  condylo- 
  

   basi 
  ar 
  length 
  14; 
  greatest 
  zygomatic 
  breadth 
  10; 
  inter- 
  

  

  14* 
  

  

  