On a new Species of Bat from JVest Africa. 



509 



LX X 1 1 1. — Mormopteius Wliitloyi — a new Species of Bat 

 from ir. Africa. \\y \{. V. SCHARFF, Ph.D., B.Sc. 



Tinn:i: pjiccinions of a bat, wln'cli I was unable to iflontify 

 with hitherto published descriptioiis, were scut to me by 

 Dr. J. C. Whitley from Benin City in West Africa. Before 

 describing them I forwarded one of them to Mr. Old field 

 Thomas, of the British Museum, who was good enough to 

 confirm my opinion that it belonged to a new species. I have 

 great pleasure therefore in naming the bat after its discoverer. 



Head of Mormopterus Whitletji, Scharff. 



Dr. Whitley, and herewith give a description of its most 

 salient external features. 



Ears shorter than the head and a))proacliing one another 

 on the forehead to within 2 millim. Both the ears and their 

 short tragus are rounded off above. The antitragus is well 

 developed and separated posteriorly by a distinct notch. 

 The extremity of the muzzle projects very much beyond the 

 mandible, and the end of the nose is distinct from the upper 

 lip. The nostrils open almost laterally. Tiio upper lij) is 

 only very indistinctly folded and covered with thick bristles 

 and fine hairs. On the lower lip the bristles are confined to 

 the angle of the mouth, but the hairs extend all over it. 

 The gular sac is small. 



The dentition being \ \ ^ j], M. Whitkyi diflfers from all 

 other species of the genus in the possession of four lower 

 incisors instead of the u-ual six. 



The fur is dark brown above, the bases of the hairs being 

 pale. The underside is of a light reddish-yellow colour. 

 Nearly half the tail projects beyond the wing-merabranes, 

 w hich reach to the ends of the tibia3. 



The dimensions of the type, now in the British Museum 

 (adult (J in formalin), are : — Total length 81 millim. ; 

 head 22; body 30; tail 2 '» ; length of forearm 36, of lower 

 leg 27. 



The height of the car is 15 millim., the width 10. 



