Subspecies of the Genus Rluuoloplms. 653 



only one species {Jtirsutus), itself a primitive form, being a 

 genuine Himalayan type, though as a species quite distinct ; 

 this, again, is perfectly in accordance with the general 

 character of the Philippine fauna. The immigration of 

 Rhinolopliiiie types from south into tlie Philippines, and the 

 radiation from these islands southwards into the Austro-Indo- 

 Malayan Archipelago, have by no means been greater than 

 of other mammals — rodents, f. i. A very narrow tract of 

 water can form an apparently insurmountable barrier for the 

 spreading of a Rldnolophus [Rh. ferrum-equinum in England, 

 not in Ireland), as it has formed for the voles. The Rhino- 

 lophus fauna of Lower Egypt * is markedly different from 

 that of Palestine ; not even the direct land-connexion has 

 caused a more extensive interchange of species than in the 

 case of non-flying mammals. All this — atid a series of 

 similar instances could be adduced — tends to show that for 

 the spreading of t\\e Rhinolophi their power of fliglit has been 

 a factor of very little importance ; their present distribution, 

 like that of non-flying mammals, has been determined by the 

 history of the type to which the species belongs and the 

 geological history of the continent or island in question. 



Australia: — 7?^. megaphyllus typlcus. — The only Austra- 

 lian species is most closely related to Rh. simplex, from 

 Lombok. 



LouisiADE Archipelago: — Rh. megaphyllus monachus. — 

 The Lonisiade form seems to be a not quite perfectly differ- 

 entiated offshoot of the Australian s{)ecies. 



New Guinea. — As yet no species is known from New 

 Guinea, although the genus is represented both east (Louis- 

 iade Archipelago), south (Australia, Key Islands), and west 

 (Moluccas) of the island. 



Key Islands: — '■' Rh. keyensis" ; Rh. achi/les; Rh.eury- 

 otis pnestans. — Rh. ochilles is a peculiar modification of the 

 philijypinensis type. Rh. euryotis prcestans has its nearest, 

 scarcely more than subspecifically distinct, allies in Amboina 

 and Batchian. " Rh. keyensis," a still very imperfectly 

 known form, is probably closely related to Rh. simpylex and 

 megaphyllus. The Rhmolophus fauna of the Key Islands, 

 therefore, points partly north-westwards, to the Moluccas and 

 the Philii)pines, partly westwards. 



* Of tLe four Palestine species {Rh. ferrum-e(pdnum, BJasii, euryalc 

 Judaicus, hipposidenis minimus), one only {eurynle Judaicus), so i'ar us I 

 know, has spread from the Asiatic side of the Mediterranean to Lower 

 Egypt. The only other species recorded from Lower Egypt [Bh. acroiis) 

 is unknown in Svria and Palestine. 



