278 BHINOLOPIIID^. 



Anterior nose-leaf broad from the nostrils to the margin, but 

 not concealing the muzzle ; sella of moderate breadth where flat, 

 the erect transverse portion gradually becoming narrower, rounded 

 at top ; the hinder longitudinal buttress-like lamella hairy, pointed, 

 scarcely exceeding the transverse portion in height ; posterior leaf 

 longer than broad, with the sides slightly concave and the tip blunt 

 (fig. 80 B, p. 268). Lower lip with a single groove. 



Wings from the ankles ; interfenioral membrane projecting 

 angularly behind ; extreme tip of the tail free. 



Colour of fur light brown above, light greyish brown below. 

 Young animals often darker. 



Dimensions. Head and body 1-55 inches, tail 1-15, ear from origin 

 of outer margin O6, from head between ears 0-55, forearm 1-5. 



Distribution. In India this species has only been observed in 

 Gilgit, where Scully found it fairly common in the warm valleys 

 4000 to 6000 feet above sea-level, during the summer months. 

 It is also met with throughout the greater part of the Palaearctic 

 region, extending in Western Europe as far north as the shores 

 of the Baltic. 



Habits. During the day R. hipposiderus hides in caves, ruined 

 buildings, outhouses &c., often in large numbers. It usually appears 

 abroad about dusk, and according to Scully has a powerful and 

 long sustained flight, but Blasius says its flight is rather irregular 

 and fluttering. It flies generally higher in the air than R. ferrum- 

 equinum, and is more frequently found away from dense tree- 

 growth. 



156. Rhinoloplms ferram-equiniiin. The greater Horseshoe-Bat. 



Vespertilio ferrum-equinum, Schreb. Sd-ugeth. i, p. 174, pi. Ixii 



(1775). 

 Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum, Dobson, Man. As. Chir. p. 53 ; id. Cat. 



Chir. B. M. p. 119, partim; Sadly, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 199. 



Ears nearly equal to the head in length, sharply pointed ; the 

 outer margin concave just below the tip and separated below by a 

 shallow obtuse notch from the moderately large antitragus. 



Nose-leaf rather small, anterior horseshoe broad from nostrils 

 to outer margin, but not nearly covering the muzzle ; sella small, 

 erect transverse process narrow, with the sides slightly concave 

 and the top rounded ; longitudinal buttress-like lamina behind a 

 little higher than the transverse process, hairy and obtusely pointed ; 

 posterior leaf longer than broad, with concave sides and a blunt 

 tip. Lower lip with a single groove. 



Wingsfrom the ankles, intert'emoral membrane projecting slightly 

 in the middle behind ; tip of the tail free. 



The second upper premolar is close to the canine ; the first 

 premolar minute and external to the tooth-row; second lower 

 premolar very minute, often not to be detected, lying in the outer 

 angle between the closely approximate first and third premolars. 



