PTEROPUS LESCHENAULTII. 19 



(except oranges, &c.), also the neern, jamoon, be"r, and various figs. 

 About the early dawn they return from their hunting-grounds, and the 

 scene that then daily takes place is well described by Tickell, in an excel- 

 lent memoir published in the Calcutta Journal of Natural History, from 

 which I extract the following : 



" From the arrival of the first comer until the sun is high above the 

 horizon, a scene of incessant wrangling and contention is enacted among 

 them, as each endeavours to secure a higher and better place, or to eject 

 a neighbour from too c lose vicinage. In these struggles the bats hook 

 themselves along the branches, scrambling about hand over hand with 

 some speed, biting each other severely, striking out with the long claw 

 of the thumb, shrieking and cackling without intermission. Each new- 

 arrival is compelled to fly several times round the tree, being threatened 

 from all points, and when he eventually hooks on he has to go through a 

 series of combats, and be probably ejected two or three times before he 

 makes good his tenure." 



The female brings forth only one young one, which adheres firmly to 

 the breast, retaining its position whether the dam be flying or at rest. 

 The flesh is esteemed good eating by some. Colonel Syke calls it delicate, 

 and with no bad flavour, and states that it is eaten by the native Por- 

 tuguese. Many classes in the Madras presidency also eat it. 



Whilst on service with my regiment in the Ghazeepore district during 

 the mutiny in 1858, the force was encamped in a grove of trees, on 

 one of which was a rather small colony of these Pteropi. The wind which 

 had hitherto been from the east and moist, suddenly changed to a fierce, 

 hot, dry, westerly blast, and this so affected the bats, that one by one they 

 descended to lower branches, being blown to leeward of course at the 

 same time, and eventually fell to the ground, and many were picked 

 up, panting and all but lifeless, others quite dead, by our followers, 

 Madras grooms, and grass-cutters. Several birds and numerous flies also 

 perished from the same cause. 



13. Pteropus Leschenaultii. 



DESMAREST P. seminudus, KELAART. BLYTH, Cat. 54 

 THE FULVOUS FOX-BAT. 



Descr. Fur, of a fulvous ashy, or dull light ashy-brown colour, paler 



c 2 



