PTEBOPUS. 257 



134. Pteropus medins. The Indian Fruit-Bat or Flying-Fox. 



Pteropus medius, Temm. Man. Mam. i, p. 176 (1827) ; Dobson, 

 J. A. S. B. xlii, pt. 2, p. 196, pi. xiv, fig. 1 (ear) ; id. Man. As. Chir. 

 p. 18 ; id. Cat. Chir. B. M. p. 51 ; Blyth, Mam. Birds Burma, 

 p. 14 ; Anderson, Cat. p. 101 ; Scully, J. A. S. B. Ivi, pt. 2, p. 236. 

 Pteropus edwardsi, Horsfield, Cat. p. 28 ; Kelaart, Prod. p. 27 : 

 Adams, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 512 ; Blyth, Cat. p. 20 ; Jerdon, Mam. 

 p. 18 ; Hutton, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 691 ; nee Geoffr. 

 Pteropus leucocephalus, Hodf/son, J. A. S. B. iv, p. 700 (1835). 

 Pteropus assamensis, McClelland, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 148. 

 Pteropus kelaartii, Gray, Cat. Monkeys, Lemurs, and Fruit-eating 



Bats B. M. p. 104 (1870). 



Gadal, Barbagal, Bddur, Pata debit, H. ; Bddul, Beng. ; Warbaaul, 

 Mahr.; Toggal bdtculi, Can.; Sikat yelk, Wadari ; Sikurayi, Tel.; 

 Barvalu, Mai. ; Loco-vaola, Wawal, Cing. ; Leng-tshwai, Lena-nek, 

 Burmese. 



Ears naked and acutely pointed, their length exceeding the 

 distance from the eye to the end of the nose ; the outer margin 

 concave near the tip. Nose naked above. Fur of hind-head, 

 neck all round, shoulders, and breast woolly, coarser and longer 

 than that of the back. There is a narrow hairy band above the 

 wing-membrane behind the bumerus and part of the forearm, and 

 the interfemoral membrane is covered with hair above except 

 near the edge. In males there is generally a circular tuft of rigid 

 greasy hairs, bright reddish in colour, on each side of the neck. 



Colour. This is variable, as in all bats. The head is generally 

 reddish brown, the muzzle often darker and sometimes black ; the 

 hind neck and shoulders paler, generally pale brownish yellow to 

 straw-colour; back behind the shoulders dark brown or black, 

 occasionally with a few white hairs interspersed. Lower parts 

 yellowish brown, chin and fore neck usually darker, as are the 

 region about the vent and the flanks ; sometimes the whole lower 

 breast and abdomen are dark brown or black. 



Dimensions. Head and body about 9 inches (varying from 7*5 

 to 10'5), length of ear from orifice 1-45, forearm 6'6 ; basal length 

 of skull 2-7, extreme length 2-9, zygomatic breadth 1-7. The 

 expanse of the wings is about 4 feet. "Weight 20 to 22 oz. 



Distribution. Throughout India, Ceylon, and Burma. Not 

 found in the Himalayas except near the base, or as a visitor from 

 the plains. Eare in Western Eajputana, Cutch, and Sind, and 

 not known to occur in the Punjab. Not recorded east or south of 

 Burma. 



Habits. Jerdon's account is good. He says : " During the day 

 they roost on trees *, generally in large colonies. Many hundreds 

 often occupy a single tree, to which they invariably resort if not 

 driven way. Towards sunset they begin to get restless, move 



* Tickell notices their preference for tamarind trees, and I think he is right. 

 In Bengal they sometimes remain on bamboos. They hang head downwards, 

 wrapped in their wings, and precisely resemble large dead leaves. 



