THE LONG-TAILED BAT . 295 



lions to determine the truth of their alleged fish-eating habits, writes to Mr. J. E. 

 Harting, that in December 1888 he visited a cave in an island near Menos. "This 

 <:ave is in a soft shale formation, and the top of the opening is about seven feet from 

 the water at full tide. The bats were then in an active state, and the majority 

 appeared to be flying homewards. There were few fish near the surface of the 

 water, and comparatively little local fishing appeared to be going on. An occa- 

 sional ' swish ' now and again far out proved that the bats were trying to secure 

 their prey. Five homeward-bound specimens were secured in the cave, about 

 twelve yards from the mouth. The stomach of one specimen opened within half an 

 hour contained much fish in a finely divided and partially digested state. On the 

 morning of the thirty- first I visited the cave from which the specimens were pro- 

 cured at 3 A. M. , and found that the bats had apparently forgotten the previous dis- 

 turbance. They came flying in in dozens, and two specimens were secured. Both 

 contained considerable quantities of fish. I have opened several other specimens of 

 these bats, and in the majority of cases fish scales were found ; but the stomachs 

 of two were perfectly empty. This might be attributed to the absence of the desired 

 fish in the locality." 



THE IvONG-TAILED BAT 

 Genus Rhinopoma 



The last, and at the same time not the least, noteworthy member of the present 

 subfamily, is the long-tailed bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum] y which is found from 

 Northeast Africa, through India, to Burma. It has 28 teeth, of which on each 

 side belong to the incisor, and f to the cheek series. Its most distinctive feature is, 

 however, its very long and slender free tail, which projects far beyond the margin 

 -of the very short membrane between the legs, and thereby distinguishes it at a 

 glance from all other bats. It is further quite peculiar in that the second or index 

 finger of the wing has two joints. Another feature of less import, although that 

 w r hich has given the scientific name to the genus, is the presence of a fleshy 

 prominence on the muzzle, just over the nose ; this prominence having been 

 incorrectly regarded as a rudimentary nose-leaf. In specimens taken in India 

 during the cold season, there is an enormous accumulation of fat around the tail 

 and thighs, which is sometimes so large as to exceed the weight of the rest of the 

 body ; the accumulation being similar to that already noticed as occurring in the 

 naked-bellied tomb-bat and doubtless serving the same purpose. According to Mr. 

 Blanford, " this species is common in Northwestern India, and hides during the day 

 in caves, clefts in rocks, old ruins, and similar places. In Cutch it takes up its 

 abode in wells. Jerdon relates that in Madras, in 1848, many were captured in a 

 house for three successive nights, having probably been blown by strong westerly 

 winds from the rocky hills to the westward. The species is not of common 

 occurrence in Madras. According to Blyth, this species formerly abounded in the 

 Taj at Agra (it may still be found there), and Cantor found numbers inhabiting the 

 subterranean Hindu place of worship within the fort at Allahabad. ' ' 



