HIPPOSIDEIUJS. 283 



The variety called murraiana by Anderson is larger, its ears are 

 somewhat shorter, broader, and less pointed, and its wing and 

 interfemoral membranes are attached rather lower on the tibia. 

 One or two other small differences are noted, but they are not of 

 much importance. 



159. Hipposiderus armiger. The great Himalayan leaf-nosed Bat. 



Rhinolophus armiger, Hodgson, J. A. S. B. iv, p. GOD (1835). 

 Hipposideros armiger, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiii, p. 488 ; id. Cat. p. 25 ; 



Jerdon, Mam. p. 27. 



Hipposideros diadema, Cantor, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 181, nee Geoffrey. 

 Phylloruina armigera, Hutton, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 700 ; Dobson, P. Z. S. 



1873, p. 242 j id. J. A. 8. B. xliii, pt. 2, p. 234 ; id. Mon. As. Cliir. 



p. 64 ; id. Cat. Chir. B. M. p. 135 ; Anderson. Cat. p. 114 ; Sadly, 



J. A. S. B. Ivi, pt. 2, p. 245. 



Ears moderate, tips blunt, outer margin slightly concave near the 

 tip, then moderately convex, inner margin convex. 



Nose-leaf large ; anterior leaf shield-shaped, with four supple- 

 mentary leaves on each side ; sella trilobate, posterior leaf narrower 

 than the anterior (exclusive of the lateral leaflets), the surface 

 divided into four cells as usual, the hinder margin sinuate, slightly 

 elevated at the centre and at both ends (fig, 80 C, p. 268). There 

 is a well-marked frontal sac with a transverse opening ; this sac is 

 much developed in old males, in which it forms the apex of a 

 swollen fleshy naked area bordering the posterior leaf behind and 

 on the sides. In females there are only wart-like elevations on 

 each side above the eyes. 



"Wing-membrane from the tibia a little above the ankle ; inter- 

 femoral membrane projecting triangularly behind ; extreme tip of 

 tail free. Fur soft and thick. 



Colour of fur varying from light to dark brown, generally dark 

 brown, a little paler below. The hairs of the back, in some cases 

 at all events, are brown at the base, then whitish, and darker brown 

 at the tips. 



Dimensions of a large male : head and body 4>2 inches long, tail 

 2-1, ear from origin of outer margin 1-15, from crown of head 0*95, 

 forearm 3'8. In a female the head and body are 3-5, tail 2-2, 

 forearm 3-3 inches. This is the largest of Indian Rhinoloplddce 

 and is only exceeded in size by one species of the family, the 

 African H. commersoni. 



Distribution. Himalayas (Mussoorie, Nepal, Sikhim), Khasi hills, 

 also Penang, Cochin China, and China. Ceylon is given by 

 Dobson as a locality, but I am unable to discover the authority *. 

 This bat probably inhabits Burma. 



* Perhaps Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxi, p. 346, where H. lankadiva, Kelaart, was 

 identified with H. armiger. But the specimens referred to by Blyth in the 

 passage have been identified by Dobson with H. diadema, Mon. As. Chir. p. 200. 



