1866.] DR. J. E. GRAY ON THE SKULLS OF DOLPHINS. 211 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Notice of a New Bat {Scotophilus wehvitschii) from 

 Angola. By Dr. J. E. Gray. 



(Plate XXIV.) 



Among an interesting series of Bats from Angola, collected by 

 Dr. Welwitsch, and most kindly presented to the British Museum, 

 is a very interesting and ornamental species of Scotophilus, with the 

 wings coloured like Vespertilio pictus of Pallas. 



This coloration of the wings seems common to several Bats be- 

 longing to different genera ; but I have not before observed it in a 

 species of Scotophilus. 



Scotophilus welwitschii. (PI. XXIV.) 



Brown, paler beneath ; hair of the back black, with brown tips, 

 which are longer and paler on the hairs of the under surface. The 

 ears rather elongate, longer than head, tip rather acute ; tragus 

 elongate, lanceolate, acute, nearly half as long as the ear. The wings 

 blackish brown, yellow-dotted, and yellow (or red brown perhaps when 

 alive) near the body, and on and near the arms and fingers, and be- 

 tween the shoulders and arm-bone ; interfemoral membrane yellow, 

 black-dotted, and with a dark hinder edge, the upper surface near 

 the base of the tail hairy ; heel-bone elongate, as long as the shin. 

 Feet pale yellow ; toes black at the end ; wings to the base of the 

 toes. Thumb — upper joint black, much longer than the lower, 

 which is yellow. The face hairy to the end of the nose, just above 

 the nostrils. Upper cutting-teeth 1.1?, large, blunt ; premolars 

 j 2-» the front upper large, triangular ; the hinder small, rudimen- 

 tary. Forearm-bone 2 inches 1 line long. 



Kab. Angola (Dr. Welwitsch; B.M). 



2. Notes on the Skulls of Dolphins, or Bottlenosc "Whales, 

 in the British Museum. By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.B.S., 

 V.P.Z.S., F.L.S., &c. 



Having had occasion to examine and determine a considerable 

 number of skulls of Dolphins since the manuscript of the second 

 edition of the ' Catalogue of Seals and Whales in the British Mu- 

 seum,' which has just been published, was sent to the press, I was 

 induced to reexamine the whole series of them in the British Museum 

 for the purpose of determining what were desiderata. The usual 

 consequence followed, that I observed the importance of some cha- 

 racters that had been before overlooked, and thought that I could 

 improve the manner in which the species were grouped together, so 

 that they could be more easily distinguished from each other. 



