ORDER CARNASSIER. 105 



toes are long and remarkably sharp. The muzzle resembles 

 that of a dog, with the end of its nose cut in two. The skin 

 is rough. From the occiput to the shoulders it is reddish, 

 and in all the other parts black, mixed with some white 

 hairs. 



" The Pteropus javanicus," says Dr. Horsfield, in his 

 elegant zoological researches, " is the largest species of the 

 genus hitherto discovered : in adult subjects, the extent of 

 the expanded wings is full five feet, and the length of the 

 body one foot. In the specimen which I have placed before me 

 in this description, the extent of the wings was five feet 

 and two inches. The length of the arm and forearm to- 

 gether, from the union with the body to the origin of the 

 phalanges, is fourteen inches ; the latter are distributed as 

 in other species of pteropus. The naked thumb project- 

 ing beyond the membrane, measures two inches ; and the 

 claw, which is strong and sharp, has an extent of nearly one 

 inch along its curvature. On the index the claw is minute, 

 and by the particular inflexion of the phalanges, which 

 was first pointed out by M. Geoffroy, it obtains a direction 

 opposed to the plane of the membrane. The length of the 

 posterior extremities is eight inches and an half. The toes, 

 which are slender, compressed, and distinct, agree in size, 

 with the exception of the exterior toe, which is almost im- 

 perceptibly smaller ; they are disposed on the same plane. 

 The claws have nearly the same size and extent of curva- 

 ture as the claw of the thumb. The interfemoral mem- 

 brane is regularly cut out in a circular manner, and forms 

 a border along the inner side of the posterior extremities, 

 about an inch and a half in breadth. 



" The pteropus javanicus is extremely abundant in the 

 lower parts of Java, and uniformly lives in society. The 

 more elevated districts are not visited by it. Numerous 

 individuals select a large tree for their resort, and suspending 



