FAMILY F K U C T I V O K A. THE BAT TRIBE. 



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enveloped in the interfemoral membrane ; the remainder free, and projecting 

 upwards when at rest ; a small pouch in the alar membrane. 



1 1 . VESPERTILIO (from the Lat. vesper, the evening). Incisive teeth above, 

 four, cylindrical and sharp, in pairs with an intermediate gap ; below, six 

 with bifid points ; cuspid teeth distinct, long, and conical ; molar teeth from 

 four to six on each side in each jaw, sharp pointed, the posterior three 

 tritorial and the anterior conical ; muzzle lengthened ; ears large, the tragus 

 or earlet always existing ; feet five-toed, the thumbs of the fore feet free 

 from the wing-membranes, and famished each with a claw ; tail scarcely 

 projecting beyond the interfemoral membranes, and curved forwards. 



CHEIROPTERA. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



Family 1. FRUCTIVOEA. 



PTEEOPUS Wing-footed. These animals are frugivorous, but some few 

 of them are considered to feed also on animal food; they are of quiet 

 habits; live in large flocks, and during daytime suspend themselves by 

 their hind feet to trees, rocks, or old buildings; but at twilight they 

 take wing and commit great depredations among the orchards. The varia- 

 tion in the number of the molar teeth depends on the absence of the 

 anterior or first molar, which is intermediate between the cuspid and 

 molar teeth, and is of that kind called by Cuvier a. false molar ; it is want- 

 ing in those species which have the muzzle shorter than the others ; but 

 in some the hindmost molar is deficient, which renders the jaw still 

 shorter. All of them are natives of the Old World, and none have yet 

 been found in America; neither do the statements as to their sucking 

 the blood of persons whilst asleep, which have given rise to the application 

 of the name of Vampires, attach to them, but to the Phyllostomata, and 

 as regards them indeed only to a very limited extent. 



The Edible Roussette (P. Edulis, or P. Javanicus), Plate 4, is the 

 largest of the genus, varying from eleven to fifteen inches in length, and 

 from three to five feet in extent. Its general form is slender ; body very 

 oblong ; muzzle long ; molar teeth six on a side in the lower, but only five 

 in the upper jaw, the anterior small molar being deficient ; muzzle, front 

 of the head, and throat very deep chestnut, more or less tinged with black ; 

 fur on the back lying close to the skin, on the under parts more full and 

 crisped; back from the shoulders blackish-chestnut, or blackish, more or 

 less tinged with ash, and the outside of the hind limbs tinged with one or 

 other of these colours ; chest reddish-brown, and other under parts blackish- 

 brown, often becoming quite black in the full-grown animal. It is a native 

 of the Indian Archipelago, and very common in the Island of Java, where 

 it is known as the Kalortg. During daytime it is seen suspended by its 

 large thumb claws to the trees in the neighbourhood of plantations, among 

 the fruit of which it makes great havoc, sallying out at dusk in large flocks 

 in search of food ; and this time is chosen by the natives for catching them, 

 which they do by means of a bag fastened to a long stick. They are much 

 valued as food, their flesh being white, delicate, and tender, but it is dis- 

 liked by Europeans, in consequence of the musky smell it retains from the 

 urine which it discharges when worried. It is this animal which is named 

 Vespertilio Vampyrus by Linnaeus, and of which so much is said about its 

 sucking the blood of persons asleep. This, however, is an error, for the 

 animal is entirely frugivorous. 



Dr. Horsfield informs us in his " Zoological Researches in Java," &c., 

 " That this animal is abundant in the lower parts of Java, and Uniformly 

 lives in society." He adds, " Numerous individuals select a large tree for 

 their resort, and suspending themselves with the claws of their posterior 

 extremities to the naked branches, often in companies of several hundreds, 

 afford to a stranger a very singular spectacle. A species of Ficus, in habit 

 resembling the Ficus religiosa of India, which is often found near the vil- 

 lages of the natives, affords them a very favourite retreat, and the extended 

 branches of one of these are often covered by them. They pass the greater 

 portion of the day in sleep, hanging motionless ; ranged in succession with 

 the head downwards, the membrane contracted about the body, and often 

 in close contact ; they have little resemblance to living beings, and by a 

 person not accustomed to their economy, are readily mistaken for a part of 



the tree, or for a fruit of uncommon size suspended from its branches. In 

 general these societies preserve a perfect silence during the day ; but if 

 they are disturbed, or if a contention arises among them, they emit sharp 

 piercing shrieks, and their awkward attempts to extricate themselves, when 

 oppressed by the light of the sun, exhibit a ludicrous spectacle. In con- 

 sequence of the sharpness of their ckws, their attachment is so strong that 

 they cannot readily leave their hold, without the assistance of the expanded 

 membrane ; and if suddenly killed in the natural attitude during the day, 

 they continue suspended after death. It is necessary to oblige them to 

 take wing by alarming them, if it be desired to obtain them during the 

 day. Soon after sunset they gradually quit their hold and pursue their 

 nocturnal flights- in quest of food. They direct their course, by an unerring 

 instinct, to the forests, villages, and plantations, occasioning incalculable 

 mischief, attacking and devouring indiscriminately every kind of fruit, from 

 the abundant and useful cocoa-nut, which surrounds every dwelling of the 

 meanest peasantry, to the rare and most delicate productions, which are 

 cultivated with care by princes and chiefs of distinction. By the latter, as 

 well as by the European colonists, various methods are employed to pro- 

 tect the orchards and gardens. Delicate fruits, such as mangos, jambus, 

 lausas, &c., as they approach to maturity, are ingeniously secured by means 

 of a loose net or basket, skilfully constructed of split bamboo. Without 

 this precaution little valuable fruit would escape the ravages of the J&dong." 



Mr. Adam White, in his beautifully-illustrated volume, " Popular His- 

 tory of Mammalia," states that " a specimen of the P. Javanicus was kept 

 alive in the Philadelphia Museum for several years. It was quite tame 

 and amiable towards those persons constantly about it, but disliked 

 strangers. During its voyage to Philadelphia it was fed on boiled rice, 

 sweetened with sugar ; at the Museum it was chiefly fed on fruit, and now 

 and then enjoyed picking the bones of a boiled fowl." 



The Middle Roussette (P. Medius) measures in length eleven inches, and 

 in extent somewhat more than three feet. These animals are natives of 

 the continent of India, in the neighbourhood of Pondicherry and Calcutta : 

 during certain times of the year, at the latter place, the trees are covered 

 with numbers of them. It is probably the species known among the 

 natives of Hindostan as the Badur. 



Besides these there are the following species : The Black-faced Roussette 

 (P. Phaiops), ten inches long, three and a half feet wide : native of Mada- 

 gascar. The Steel-headed Roussette (P. Poliocephalus), a foot in length, 

 three feet and a quarter in extent : found in Australia. In the French 

 Museum it is marked P. Riibricollis. 



The Woolly Roussette (P. Dasymallus), eight inches long, two feet four 

 inches wide : is found in the neighbourhood of Nangasaki and Jedo, where 

 it is called Sobaosiki, and is very destructive to orchards. 



The Common Roussette (P. Vulgaris), from eight to nine inches in length, 

 three feet in width : it is found in the Isles of France and Bourbon ; it is 

 also said to be met with in Madagascar, and perhaps in Africa. At 

 feeding-time it mingles indiscriminately with the following species, on the 

 trees, to which they are attracted by the fruit or flowers ; but at other times 

 they attach themselves apart to the large trees in the depth of the forest. 

 It is eaten, and when young, especially, is considered very good. 



The Red-necked Roussette (P. Rubricollis), seven and a half inches long, 

 two feet in extent : found in the Isles of France and Bourbon, and hooks 

 itself up in the hollows of trees and in the clefts of rocks. 



The Pallid Roussette (P. Pallidus), seven and a half inches long, in 

 extent two and a half feet : it is found in the Isle of Banda, and its habits 

 are like those of P. Edulis. 



The Keraudren's Roussette (P. Keraudrenius), seven or eight inches long, 

 from two to two feet and a half in extent : it is a native of the Mariannas, 

 where it is eaten, and is called at Guam, which is one of them, the Fanihi. 

 It flies in broad daylight, and when at rest suspends itself to the trees. 



The Grey Roussette (P. Griseus), from six to eight inches long, twenty 

 inches in width : native of Timor. 



The Masked Roussette (P. Personatus), six and a half inches in length, 

 twenty inches wide : from the Isle of Ternate. 



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