22 MEGADERMATIN.E. 



membranous apparatus ; ears very large, connate at the base, with a small 

 tragus. No tail. Interfemoral membrane cut square. Peculiar to the 

 Eastern hemisphere. 



15. Megaderxna lyra. 



GEOFFROY. M. carnatica, ELLIOT, Cat. 5. M. schistacea, HODG- 

 SON. BLYTH, Cat. 59. HORSFIELD, Cat. 73. 



THE LARGE-EARED VAMPIRE BAT. 



Descr. Of a slaty blue or pale mouse colour, albescent or yellowish-ashy 

 beneath. Nasal appendage large, oblong, free at the tip, reaching to the 

 base of the ears with a fold down the centre ; tragus, cordate, two-lobed, 

 anterior lobe pointed, twice as high as the posterior, which is rounded ; 

 muzzle, truncated ; under lip, cleft. 



Length of one, head and body, 3J inches ; extent, 19 ; fore-arm, 2f ; 

 tibia, 1^. 



The molar teeth above are occasionally only three on each side, as 

 found by Mr. Elliot, but Hodgson and others have observed four on 

 each side. 



This curious-looking bat is found over all India, from the foot of the 

 Himalayas to the extreme South, frequenting old buildings, pagodas, 

 caves, roofs of houses, &c. It is very abundant in the innermost com- 

 partments of the cave temples of Ellora and Ajunta. Hodgson consi- 

 dered those he procured (which were under the roof of the Dak bungalow 

 at Silligoree, at the foot of the Sikim Himalayas) distinct ; but I got 

 specimens from the very same locality and found them apparently quite 

 identical with those from Southern India. Horsfield, indeed, when 

 noticing Hodgson's new Mammals, &c., stated that dry specimens could 

 not be distinguished from M. lyra. 



Mr. Blyth has fully ascertained that this bat at times sucks the blood 

 from other bats, fixing on them behind the ear, sucking the blood during 

 flight, and then devouring the body. It has also been known to eat frogs 

 and fish. Hodgson found insects only in those he examined. 



16. Megaderma spectrum. 



WAGNER. In Hugel's Kaschmir, IY. p. 569, with figure. 

 THE KASHMIR VAMPIRE BAT. 



Descr. Above slaty cinereous, whitish beneath ; the vertical nose-leaf 

 of moderate size, oval ; inner lobe of tragus, ovate. 



