RHINOLOPHUS NOBILIS. 



according as these animals inhabit countries nearer to the Equinoctial Line : others 

 have the more simple and obscure tint of the European species. Of the former an 

 example is afforded by the Rhinolophus larvatus and the E.h, affinis ; of the latter 

 by the Rhinolophus nobilis and the Rh. minor. Several of the other Javanese 

 species have an intermediate tint. 



The Rhinolophus nobihs belongs to the second section of this genus. The 

 nasal apparatus consists of a broad membrane stretching transversely across the nose, 

 in form of a shelf; the sides 'are bounded by several parallel folds, and inferiorly it 

 constitutes a semicircular envelop, which has a short, obtusely rounded point in the 

 middle. All the remarks which apply to the genus Rhinolophus generally have 

 already been given with detail in the description of the Rh. larvatus ; but few observ- 

 ations therefore are required to point out the specific distinctions of our animal. 

 The colour above is pure brown, and underneath brown variegated with gray. The 

 sides of the breast, and of the body underneath, and the marks on the back, above and 

 beneath the scapula, are light gray, inclining to white, with an obscure silvery lustre. 

 The fur is remarkably long and silky, and supplied with a most delicate down at the 

 base, so as to be throughout very soft to the tovich. The hairs are uniformly gray 

 at the base ; on the darkest portion of the back, about one half of their length, is 

 dark brown with an almost imperceptible hue inclining to chestnut ; on the upper 

 parts of the neck and head, the basal gray portion exceeds the brown portion near 

 the extremity ; these parts therefore have a lighter tint. Underneath, the hairs are 

 generally more soft and lengthened, and the gray colour predominates. The lowest 

 portion of the breast and abdomen is marked by a broad band covered with hair, gray 

 at the base, and brown at the extremity. The hairs of the axillse, hypochondrige, and 

 scapular marks are nearly white. The flying membrane has a deep tint of pure 

 brown, with a slight tawny gloss. In the proportional length of the anterior and 

 posterior extremities, the Rhinolophus nobilis agrees with the Rh. larvatus. The 

 tail is equal in length to the posterior extremities, exclusive of the toes. The ears 

 are remarkably large, and tending to the sides ; they are acutely terminated at their 

 union with the head ; the margin, anterior and posterior, is involuted, the posterior 

 involution being the largest. 



The body of the Rhinolophus nobilis is four inches in length ; the expanded 

 membrane measvires nineteen inches and an half Our animal feeds on insects. It 

 is comparatively a rare species : two specimens only are contained in the Honourable 

 Company's Museum, which agree in size, colour, and external characters. 



