352 EMBALLONUBID^. 



Face almost naked ; no fur on the wing-membrane or the inter- 

 femoral ; the lower portions of the back and abdomen and the legs 

 are also naked. 



Fig. 117. Head of Rhinopoma microphyttum. 



Colour of fur dull greyish brown, nearly the same above and 

 below ; the hairs paler at the base. 



Dimensions. An adult male measures : head and body 3 inches, 

 tail 2-35, ear from crown 0'6, forearm 2-6. But many specimens 

 are considerably smaller, with a forearm 2*1 or even less. 



Distribution. Egypt and Kordofan in Africa; South-eastern 

 Asia, India generally, Burma and the Malay Peninsula. Not re- 

 corded from the Himalayas or Ceylon. 



Habits. This species is common in North-western India, and 

 hides during the day in caves, clefts in rocks, old ruins, and similar 

 places. In Cutch it takes up its abode in wells. Jerdon relates 

 that in Madras, in 1848, many were captured in a house for three 

 successive nights, having probably been blown by strong westerly 

 winds from the rocky hills to the westward. The species is not of 

 common occurrence in Madras. According to Blyth this species 

 abounded formerly in the Taj at Agra (it may still be found there), 

 and Cantor found numbers inhabiting the subterranean Hindu 

 place of worship within the Fort at Allahabad. 



This species may be distinguished from all other bats by the 

 very long slender free tail. In the cold season there is an enormous 

 accumulation of fat, sometimes exceeding the remainder of the 

 body in weight, under the skin below the anus. The fleshy point 

 above the truncated muzzle is sometimes called a nose-leaf, but 

 incorrectly. 



Subfamily MOLDS SIN^E. 



This subfamily includes the genera of Emballonuridce with short 

 and strong legs and feet and well-developed fibula?. All have 

 callosities at the base of the thumbs, and the feet free from the 

 wing-membrane, whilst the interfemoral membrane is partially re- 

 tractile. The species of this subfamily are thus evidently better 

 fitted than any other bats for terrestrial progression, and the habits 



