CTNOPTEEUS. 



263 



138. Cynopterus marginatus. The short-nosed Fruit-Bat. 



Pteropus marginatus, Geoff. Ann. Mus. xv, p. 57 (1810). 



Cynopterus marginatus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xiii, p. 479 ; id. Cat. 

 p. 22 ; id. Mam. Birds Burma, p. 15 ; Elliot, Mad. Jour. L. S. x, 

 p. 96 ; Cantor, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 187 ; Kelaart, Prod. p. 28 ; 

 Jerdon, Mam. p. 20 ; Huttoji, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 693 ; JJohson, 

 J. A. S. B. xlii, pt. 2, p. 200, pi. xiv, f. 4 (ear) ; id. Mon. Asiat. 

 Chir. p. 24 ; id. Cat. Chir. B. 31. p. 81 ; Anderson, Cat. p. 104 ; 

 Sculli/, J. A. S. B. Ivi, pt. 2, p. 239. 



Cham-gadili, Beng. ; Chota badur, H. ; Lenzwe, Lemcet, Burm. 



Ears nearly naked, rounded at the tip, about twice the distance 

 from eye to nostril in length, without any prominent basal lobe to 



Fig. 77. — Eai'3 of: A, Cynopterus vmrginatus; B, C. hrachyotus ; 

 0, C, scherzeri. (Dobson, Mon. As. Chir.) 



the outer margiu. First upper premolar minute, in the middle of 

 the space between the canine and the second premolar, and 

 slightly on the outer side of the tooth-row. 



Colour brown, very vai'iable in tint, generally snuff-brown or 

 umber-brown, but some individuals are ferruginous or yellowish 

 brown, others dull grey-brown. Males, especially in the breeding- 

 season, have a collar of stiff reddish-yellow or rusty-brown hairs. 

 Outer and inner margins of ear-conch and sometimes the whole 

 margin to the tip white. 



Dimensions. Head and body 4*4 inches, tail 0*4, ear from orifice 

 1, forearm 3 ; skull, total length 1*45, zygomatic breadth 0-95, 



Distribution. Common throughout India from the base of the 

 Himalayas to Lake Comorin ; also Ceylon, Burma, the Malay 

 Peninsula and Archipelago to the Philippines. Not known to 

 occur west of 8ind, where, however, it is by no means rare, 



Habits. This bat is found on trees in the daytime. I have 

 observed it solitary in forest, but Jerdon states that it roosts in 

 companies on the folded leaves of plantains, Palmyra palms, and 

 other trees. Tickell records having occasionally met with it in 

 caverns and in hollow trees. It lives entirely on fruit and is 

 extremely destructive to plantains, guavas, and mangoes. Its 

 voracity is mentioned by almost every observer. One instance 

 will suffice. DobsoD gave to an individual in Calcutta a plantain 

 weighing, with the skin removed, two ounces. The whole fruit 

 was consumed in three hours, whilst the bat, when killed next 

 morning, weighed only one ounce. 



