250 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



with a few Swifts (Chaetura). The flight of the two was very similar, 

 and seemingly of about the same velocity, without much doubling or 

 dodging, so that at a distance it was sometimes difficult at first glance 

 to distinguish bird from mammal. The distinct bend of the wing 

 at the carpus in the bat, however, was quite diagnostic in the failing 

 light. 



We kept some ten or more of these bats in a net during an entire 

 night and day, and noticed that during the night they made no effort 

 to escape, but all hung in a solid cluster, apparently at rest, though 

 at times one would utter a sharp trill or chirrup. During the suc- 

 ceeding day they maintained their position, but appeared to be 

 sleeping, and felt decidedly cool to the touch. 



One of the specimens (No. 7448) is of special interest, in that it 

 has a second lower incisor on the left side, a mere spicule, yet of the 

 same vertical height as the central bilobed incisor. This extra incisor 

 is thus, no doubt, a reversion to the condition shown by the closely 

 related genera Eumops and Promops, in which there are normally 

 two lower incisors on each side, both, however, bilobed. 



As pointed out by the writer in a previous paper (1908, p. 59) 

 Molossus crassicaudatus is a wide-ranging species whose characters 

 are very constant. It inhabits the continent of South America from 

 Argentine to Panama, and north among the Lesser Antilles, whence 

 the Museum has specimens from Sta. Lucia, Dominica, and St. 

 Vincent in addition to the series from Grenada. Dr. J. A. Allen 

 (1890, p. 169) has recorded from Virgin Gorda (just east of Porto 

 Rico) a small black Molossus, with forearm 37 mm., third finger 72, 

 which may be none other than this species, here probably near its 

 northern limit. The diminutive M . tropidorhynchus of Cuba is even 

 smaller (forearm 33). 



What was probably this same bat was noted occasionally at Bath- 

 sheba and Hastings, Barbados, by Mr. Austin H. Clark; but none was 

 secured. It may have been a bat of this early-flying species that 

 Ligon saw captured by a hawk at Barbados. This interesting occur- 

 rence he relates as follows (Ligon, Hist. Barbadoes, 1673, p. 58) : 

 "And for Hawkes, I never saw but two, and those the merriest 

 stirrers that ever I saw fly; and one of them was in an evening just 

 at Sun setting, which is the time the Bats rise, and soare to a good 

 hight; and at a downcome, this Barbary Faulcon took one of them 

 and carried it away." 







