69 



outwardly directed, and more rounded. The tragus, as in all others 

 of this group, is curved inwards, and rounded at the end ; but it 

 differs from that of some others, in being rather widest in the 

 middle. 



In relation to the size of the animal, the wings are rather ample, 

 and rather broad for their length, the fourth finger (that which 

 determines the breadth of the wing) being longer than the two basal 

 phalanges of the longest finger*. All the wing-bones are somewhat 

 slender. The thumb is rather long, not quite half enveloped in the 

 membrane. 



The legs are rather long and slender, the tibise being quite as long 

 as in S. gouldii, a species of greater size than the present ; they are 

 just twice the length of those of ^S*. pumihis. The feet are large, 

 about the length of those of ♦S". leisleri of Europe, the toes taking up 

 half their entire length, and the wing-membranes extending to half 

 the distance between the extremity of the tibia and the base of the 

 toes. Tip of the tail enclosed in the membrane. 



The fur of the head extends to rather near the end of the nose ; 

 and the upper lips are furnished with moustaches ; so that the only 

 naked space is around and in front of the eye. The fur of the back 

 does not extend on to the interfemoral membrane, and only to a very 

 limited extent on those of the wings ; but that of the under parts 

 encroaches on the membranes all round the body, especially beneath 

 the arms, where it reaches nearly to the elbow. A straight line 

 from that joint to the knee would pretty accurately define the hairy 

 portions of the wing-membranes. 



In quality the fur is soft, and rather long, bicoloured above and 

 beneath. That of the back of a specimen from South Australia is 

 dark brown at the root, with the terminal half of the hairs reddish- 

 brown, uniformly of the latter colour around the rump and on the 

 flanks ; beneath, dark brown at the root, with the terminal third 

 light cinnamon-brown, that on the membranes paler and unicoloured. 

 Membranes lightish brown. 



Another specimen from Van Diemen's Land differs only from the 

 last in being much darker in colour ; the fur of the upper parts 

 black at the root, tipped with sepia-brown ; beneath, the same, but 

 the brown tips lighter and more tinged with rufous, especially that 

 on the membranes and around the pubal region, where it is uni- 

 coloured and reddish-brown. 



In the following table, the dimensions in column 1 are those of 



* In many species of this group tlie fourth finger is not more than equal in 

 lengtli to the two basal phalanges of the longest ; and in the more typical species 

 of the genus, such as the common Noctule, it does not extend much further than 

 the middle of the second phalange of the longest finger. In making use of the 

 relative lengths of the wing-bones, either as a generic or specific distinction, it is 

 absolutely necessary that perfectly adult examples be examined ; for in those 

 which are not, they vary so much with the age of the individual, as not only to 

 be useless as a means of distinction, but to lead to absolute error and consequent 

 confusion. Judging from the figure given by M. Temminck of V. brachypterus, 

 I should expect to find his specimen with the apophyses of the phalanges of the 

 fingers imperfectly ossified. 



