336 



or minor groups, has induced me to leave them out of the present 

 monograph. Kerivoula formosa I have already separated from it, 

 and placed in company with the Vespertilio emarginatus of Europe, 

 and some other species. K. Sykesii is a small species, closely allied, 

 if not identical, with Scotopkilus coromandelicus ; and K.poensis and 

 K. grisea are both referable to the same subgeneric division of the 

 genus Scotophilus, all having characters pretty similar to those of 

 the S. pipistrellus, S. Kuhlii, and S. marginatus. K. trilatoides is 

 a true Vespertilio, having the same generic forms as Vesp. mysta- 

 cinus. K. brasiliensis I have not seen. 



I have taken the occasion in a former monograph to give a few 

 notes on the classification of some of the species of VespertilionidcB ; 

 and I seize the present opportunity of adding such others as bear on 

 the same point, which have arisen during the examination of the 

 species comprised in the present memoir. 



The observations I made were something to this purpose, — that 

 after eliminating such easily recognizable genera as Plecotus and 

 Barbastellus from the genus Vespertilio, as given by M. Temminck, 

 there yet remained a large number of species differing greatly from 

 each other, but the most diverse of which were so connected by 

 intermediate species as to be with great difficulty brought under 

 generic definition. The common Noctule Bat and the Whiskered 

 Bat were given as familiar examples of the desired genera, the first 

 being considered as typical of the stout species which are organized 

 for strong and rapid flight in exposed situations, and for capturing 

 and masticating the larger species of Coleoptera ; and the latter was 

 given as an example of the light and comparatively fragile species 

 which take their minute food amongst the foliage, or in other con- 

 fined situations. But the Whiskered Bat is by no means the most 

 typical of the slender species. The genera Furipterus, Natalus, and 

 Hyonycteris are the most so, and Kerivoula immediately after them, 

 and before Vespertilio, in which genus, in its restricted form, the 

 Whiskered Bat, with many other species, takes its place. 



Assuming that Kerivoula is a more typical genus than Vespertilio, 

 we should expect its habits to be in accordance with its structure, 

 and to differ somewhat from those of Vespertilio ; and the following 

 (all that I can gather which appears authentic) will throw some light 

 on this point. In vol. xiv. of the ' Annals and Magazine of 

 Natural History ' the following notice of one of the species, K. picta, 

 appears, from the pen of Capt. R. C. Tytler : "This elegant Bat is 

 found in thick jungle, and is only observed when disturbed by sud- 

 denly flying out of its retreat and taking almost immediate shelter, 

 like a moth, amongst the bushes." Dr. Kelaart, after observing 

 that there are no Bats in Ceylon called " 'Kerivoulha," says " Kehil- 

 voula is the Cingalese name for the yellow Bats found on plantain 

 trees, — ' Kehil ' in Cingalese meaning plantain, and ' Voulha ' a bat. 

 We have never obtained the Kerivoulha from any other places than 

 plantain groves, where they are generally found clinging to the 

 fruit." 



From the observations of these gentlemen it would appear that 



