THE MONK BAT. 293 



and consequently the mastiff-like physiognomy is 

 less conspicuous : the orifice of the gular gland is 

 larger. The species is the Molossus fumarius of Spix, 

 but this designation is not very felicitous, as the 

 general hue is not at all smokj-brown, but a deep 

 umber, rather lighter on the under side. The ears and 

 all the membranes, as well as the face, are black, the 

 last-named tinged with purple, as are the muscles of 

 the limbs. It is remarkable that the volar mem- 

 branes on both their surfaces have their basal part 

 covered with the common brown fur as far as a line 

 reaching from the elbow to the middle of the thigh ; 

 rather narrower, however, above than below. 



This little species differs from the Chestnut Mastiff 

 Bat, formerly described, in its manners too. The speci- 

 men which first came into my possession was more 

 active on the ground than any that I had seen. On 

 the least touch it ran, or rather crawled, about with 

 such agility, that it was not easy to seize it; and 

 that forward, by means of the wing-thumbs, or back- 

 ward by means of the hinder feet. It would also 

 strive to jump out of the hand, or would leap off the 

 table ; but in falling, it never opened the wings. I 

 did not see it attempt to fly. 



It differed from other Bats, also, in being silent ; 

 all the time I had it, though it was much handled and 

 incommoded in various ways, it never uttered the 

 slightest click, nor any sound at all. It was fierce, 

 attempting to bite, but could not pierce the callous 

 skin of the end of my thumb, though it drew blood 

 from one of my fingers. 



It was at Mount Edgecumbe that this Bat was 



