THE WRINKLED-LIPPED BATS 



299 



The most curious feature about this repulsive-looking animal (in which, by the 

 -way, the muzzle is long and pig-like) is, however, the' presence of a deep pouch on 

 the under side of the body below the arm pits. These pouches, which occur in both 

 sexes, are for the purpose of containing the young during the period of suckling ; 

 and are absolutely necessary, since in their absence the young would be quite unable 

 to cling to the naked body of the parent. Since these pouches are present in the 

 males as well as the females, Dr. Dobson 

 suggests that in cases where there are 

 twins the male parent may relieve his 

 mate of the task of carrying one of the off- 

 spring ; instances of a similar division of 

 labor being believed to occur among the 

 fruit-bats. 



This bat, which is figured in the illus- 

 tration on p. 246, occurs in the larger 

 islands, such as Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, 

 of the Malayan region, where it dwells 

 in the heart of the densest forests. During 

 the day its place of repose may be either 

 a hollow tree, or a cleft in the rocks, or HEAD OF FEMALE OF THE NAKED BAT. 



1 i .1 , -,. a . , , (After Dobson.) 



even a hole in the ground. Its flight, 



which is heavy and slow, commences as soon as the sun reaches the horizon, and 

 takes place in the openings and glades of the forests, or even high up in the air in 

 the open plains. 



THE WRINKLED-LIPPED BATS 

 Genus Nyctinomus 



By far the most abundant in species of the bats of this group, as well as the 

 most widely spread, are the wrinkled-lipped bats of the warmer regions. While 

 closely allied to the mastiff-bats, they are distinguished by the upper incisor teeth 

 being separated from one another in the middle line, and also by the much greater 

 development of the vertical wrinkles on the capacious lips. The ears are generally 

 more or less extensively united at their bases, and the number of teeth varies from 

 twenty-eight to thirty- two. One member of the genus, Ceston's bat (^Nyctinomus 

 cestoni), is the solitary representative of the whole family found in Europe, where 

 it extends as far northward as Switzerland. This species measures nearly three and 

 one-half inches in length, exclusive of the tail, but most of the others are smaller. 

 Ceston's bat has the peculiar power of being able to sink its eye within the socket,- 

 and then to protrude it again. It has, perhaps, the widest range of all the species, 

 occurring not only in the south of Europe, but also in Eygpt, Nubia, Amoy, and 

 China. The late Mr. Swinhoe, writing of this species, observes : "I have often on 

 a cloudless evening, at Amoy, seen these bats flying along, high in the air, being 

 easily distinguished by the narrowness of their wings. When watched, the creature 



