546 MR. G. E. DOBSON ON THE GENUS TAPHOZOUS.  [ Nov. 2, 
darted away. But I never saw one actually strike the Anten- 
narius. 
This mode of attack, no doubt, explains why this fish chooses such 
a position as that observed by my example. Being very slow in its 
movements, it protects its posterior parts. Did it not do this it 
might be seriously injured by an Acanthurus. I have frequently 
observed my fishes fight by approaching backwards and lashing at 
each other with the tail. This will doubtless furnish a good reason 
for the formidable lateral armature of the tail in the Acronuride 
and some other families of fishes. 
8. A Monograph of the Genus Taphozous, Geoff. 
By G. E. Dozson, M.A., M.B., F.L.S., &e. 
[Received September 1, 1875.] 
In 1872 I published some notes on the Asiatic species of Taphozous, 
giving a short synopsis of the species, in which they were divided into 
two groups. Since that time I have examined the types and large 
collections of specimens of the species of this genus in the British 
Museum, in the Museum of the East-India Company, in the Leyden, 
Berlin, and Paris Museums, also the collection in the Liverpool 
Museum and that of Sir Walter Elliot (most kindly forwarded from 
Scotland for my examination), as well as some private collections. 
Adding to these the large collection in the Indian Museum, Calcutta, 
I have thus examined a great number of specimens of the species 
of this genus, including the types, and am enabled to remove some 
nominal species from the list, to describe in detail, and to exhibit, in 
tabular form, according to their natural affinities, all the species of 
Taphozous. 
TAPHOZOUS. 
Taphozous, Geoffroy, Descript. de l Egypte, i. p. 126; Temminck, 
Monogr. Mammal. il. p. 277 (excl. Tuphozous lepturus, Geoff. et 
Temm.); Wagner, Suppl. Schreb. Saugeth. v. p. 684. 
Muzzle very conical, broad behind, very narrow in front, terminated 
by the slightly projecting inuer margins of the valvular nostrils. 
Crown of the head very slightly raised above the face-line: a deep 
frontal excavation between the eyes; ears separate, the inner margin 
of the conch arising by a short band from the side of the frontal con- 
cavity, the outer margin of the conch commencing in a small lobe 
close to the angle of the mouth but on a lower level; tragus short, 
narrowest opposite the base of its inner margin, expanded above; lower 
lip as long or slightly longer than the upper lip, terminating in front 
in two small triangular naked spaces separated by a more or less deep 
groove ; eyes rather large, a distinct horizontal groove on the face 
beneath ; thumb with a small but very acute claw; first phalanx of 
middle finger folded (in repose) on dorsum of metacarpal bone ; foot 
long and slender, the outer toe as long as the middle toe, the inner 
