108 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



Vampyrus. Brisson composed his genus Pteropus ot the 

 two last, and a third, the Vespertilio Spectrum, which, in 

 truth, does not belong to this genus, but to the Phyllos- 

 tomes. 



The Pteropus griseus gray roussette is another of the 

 species discovered by Messrs. Peron and Lesueur. It is re- 

 markable for nothing so much as the shortness of its ears. 

 The membrane of the wings does not grow precisely from 

 the flanks, but takes its origin almost from the central line 

 of the back. 



All the roussettes of Timor inhabit the trunks of old 

 trees, or the hollows of rocks. The large species alone in- 

 habits caverns, and usually the deepest and most obscure. 

 In speaking of the Pteropus stramineus, (lesser Temate bat 

 of Pennant,) M. Geoffroy deems it possible that the circum- 

 stance of the roussettes of Timor living so much in trees 

 may impede the perfect growth of their hair. 



The roussette of Egypt was discovered by M. Geoffroy 

 himself, who detached many of them with his own hand 

 from the ceiling of the great Pyramid. There is nothing 

 very remarkable about them, but that the head is shorter in 

 proportion, and larger than in the other species. Its hair 

 is thick and soft, of a grayish-brown, and its incisors are 

 remarkably small, slender, and symmetrically arranged. 



The Pteropus amplexicandatus is distinguished above the 

 others by the dimensions of its tail, which yet does not ex- 

 ceed the thigh in length. The interfemoral membrane is 

 not so much sloped as in the preceding species, but extends 

 from one side to the other, so as to pass above the tail, and 

 cover one-half of it — whence the name. 



The Kiodote Pteropus minimus of Geoffroy, has been 

 formed into a separate genus by F. Cuvier, under the name 

 of Macroglosse. Besides the form of its head, which gives 

 it a strong mark of distinction above the other frugivorous 



