208 Mr. O. Thomas on new Bats from 



the central line is a rich chrome-yellow, deepening laterally 

 on the sides of the belly to a golden yellow, which is especially 

 bright on the broad band of fur extending on the wing- 

 membrane between the elbows and knees. 



Dimensions of the type : — 



Forearm 55 mm. (57 in a second specimen). 



Skull : greatest length 20'5 ; zygomatic breadth 145 ; 

 cheek-tooth series 5*7. 



Hub. Fort Hall, Kenya District, British East Africa. 



Type. Male. B.M. no. 2. 7. 6. 11. Original number 107. 

 Colh cted 25th Jan., 1902, and presented by Mrs. Hinde. 



The bats referable to S. nigrita seem divisible by colour 

 into several geographical subspecies, of which S. n. Ding mi, 

 Smith, would be theCape one, and $. n. leucogaster, Cretzschm., 

 the Abyssinian. Specimens representing the true Senegalese 

 S. nigrita and the Mozambique forms described by Peters 

 are still wanting to the Museum Collection. 



From any member of the group as yet described S. ». colias 

 seems readily distinguishable by its brilliantly yellow under 

 surface. 



Scotophilus nigrita nux, subsp. n. 



A chestnut-brown subspecies of S. nigrita. 



General characters of the smaller forms of the widely 

 distributed S. nigrita. Fur short, close and fine; hairs of 

 lack about 5 mm. in length. Colour above uniform chestnut- 

 brown, or "burnt umber'" (Bidgway), the bases of the hairs 

 slightly paler than the tips ; very different therefore from the 

 other pale brown or olivaceous representatives of the species. 

 Under surface a rather lighter brown, approaching "russet" 

 (Bidgway), the other forms being all yellowish or whitish 

 below. Fur of body scarcely extending on the wing-membranes 

 below. 



Dimensionsofthe type (measured in spiritbiforeskinning): — 



Forearm 55 mm. 



Head and body 70 ; tail 47 ; ear 15. 



Skull : greatest length 20*5 ; zygomatic breadth 14*7 ; 

 upper cheek-tooth series 5'8. 



Uab. Efulen, Cameroons. 



Type. Adult male. B.M. no. 3. 2. 4. 5. Collected by 

 Mr. G. L. Bates. 



Although conspicuously different in colour from any of 

 the known forms of S. nigrita, this bat so clearly represents 

 that species in the West- African forest country that for the 

 j resent I prefer to give it only subspecific rank. 



