VESPERTILIONlDj*;. 295 



Rather smaller than M . lyra, and nose-leaf shorter. 



Ears rounded, extending beyond the muzzle when laid for- 

 ward ; inner margins united by less than a third of their length. 

 Tragus bifid, the posterior limb pointed, more than double the 

 length of the rounded anterior limb. 



Nose-leaf rounded posteriorly, the lanceolate portion behind the 

 lateral emarginations about equal in length to the anterior portion. 

 The additional leaf above the nostrils heart-shaped and broad, pro- 

 jecting laterally beyond the edge of the principal leaf. A raised 

 median rib to the posterior rib. 



Wing-membrane from the metatarsus. Interfemoral membrane 

 deeper than in M. lyra. In other characters the two species are 

 similar. 



Colour of fur dark ashy above, paler below. 



Dimensions. Head and body 8'4 inches, ear from crown 1-2, 

 from origin of outer margin 1*5, forearm 2-3. 



Distribution. Tenasserim, Siam, Cochin China, and the Malay 

 Peninsula and Archipelago ; also Ceylon, and probably Travancore. 

 A description by Mr. Bourdillon of a bat obtained by him at 

 Mynall, Travancore, from a hollow tree in dense forest at 2700 feet 

 elevation, appears to refer to this species, and this serves to confirm 

 the statement by Blyth that he had examined specimens from Ceylon. 

 There are specimens in the British Museum labelled from the 

 island. They are rather small, forearm 2-1 to 2-2 inches. 



Of the other genus belonging to the present family, Nycteris, 

 having the nostrils at the anterior extremity of a long facial 

 groove, and a long tail, one species, N. javanica, has been found 

 in the Malay Peninsula and Java, the remaining species are all 

 African. 



Family VESPEETILIONIDJE. 



This is by far the largest family of bats and comprises most of 

 the commoner forms found in India. The species are at once and 

 readily distinguished from all other Microchiroptera (so far at least 

 as the Indian and Palaearctic forms are concerned) by the presence 

 of a tragus, by the absence of all trace of nose-leaf, by the tail 

 neither being produced to any great extent beyond the interfemoral 

 membrane, nor exserted from its upper surface, and by the 

 presence of two phalanges besides the metacarpal bone, making 

 three joints altogether, in the middle finger, with the first phalanx 

 in repose extended in a line with the metacarpal bone. The eyes 

 are minute, and the inner margins of the ears arise from the sides 

 of the head, not from the forehead. The tail is long. 



The lower incisors are always six in number ; the upper incisors 



