THE FRUGIVOROUS BATS. 



TRIBE II. VESPERTILIONIDiE, Gray, Lesson.— Gen. Vespertilio, Linn.— BATS. 



The tribe of the Bats comprehends various and numerous families, 

 all closely associated. Throughout the whole the fingers of the an- 

 terior extremity are much prolonged, and enveloped in a membrane 

 usually naked, forming true wings ; the thumb is considerably apart, 

 but not opposable, and is armed with a claw ; the posterior extremi- 

 ties are weak, furnished with five equal toes ; there are three sorts 

 of well characterized teeth. 



A striking peculiarity has lately been pointed out in the oste- 

 ology of the superior extremity, so remarkably employed in this 



tribe, which must not be omitted. We allude to the existence 01 a 

 particular bone, placed behind the articulation of the arm with the 

 fore-arm, and presenting in this joint an arrangement altogether 

 parallel to that of the patella in the knee-joint. This bone, analo- 

 gous to the olecranon process, and which may be designated the 

 patella of the anterior extremity, is not, we believe, found in any 

 other of the Mammalia, not even in the Galeopitheci ; whereas it 

 exists in the Insectivorous as well as in the Frugivorous Bats, al- 

 though in some of the former it is rudimentary. 



FAMILY I. FRUGIVORA^FRUGIVOROUS BATS. 



Syn. Meganycteres Latreille, Reg. Anim. 



CHARACTERS OF THE FAMILY. 



The Molar Teeth with flat and slightly crested crowns. 

 The Index with three phalanges, and usually witli a nail. 

 Inhabit the East Indies, the East Indian Archipelago, New Holland, Isle of France, Africa. 



These Bats, as implied in M. Latreille's designation, are usu- 

 ally ot larger dimensions. In the present state of the science they 

 form a considerable number of genera, upon which we shall make a 

 few remarks. 



Being frugivorous, their dental apparatus differs somewhat from 

 that of the other Bats. Their molars, instead of being studded with 

 tubercles and acute points, exhibit an elongated crown, smooth, or 

 limited to its possessing a small crest on the edges, especially the 

 exterior one. This character is remarkable, inasmuch as it is in- 

 termediate between those of the Carnivora and Herbivora, properly 

 so called, and is found in this group alone, where it undergoes some 

 modifications. As to the canines and incisors, they very much cor- 

 respond in their arrangement, direction, form, and usual number, 

 to those of the Monkeys, with one striking exception. The wings 

 uf these Bats are usually neither so broad nor so long as those of 

 the Insectivora ; and generally they arise more from the back than 

 the flanks. Another striking peculiarity is, that the fore-finger is 

 always provided with all its phalanges, and (with only one exception, 

 we believe) is terminated by a small nail ; whilst in the Insectivora 

 it wants, as in the other three fingers, both the nail and its phalanx. 

 As to the interf'emoral membrane, it is always but slightly developed, 

 and usually completely rudimentary. 



The membranes, then, in the Frugivora, do not possess the same 

 extent of development as in the succeeding family. No more do 

 we find in their avenues to sensation those membranous prolonga- 

 tions which are destined at one time to augment their sensibility, 

 and at another time to diminish it ; in other words, those oral and 

 nasal coverings, whose presence produces so grotesque and striking 

 an appearance. 



This family is essentially frugivorous ; though, as a Dog may eat 

 bread, so the species belonging to it may accustom themselves to 

 devour small Birds, perhaps, and other animal matters. Their gape 

 is usually small. They live chiefly on mellow fruits ; they also con- 

 sume flowers. Most of them are nocturnal, and impatient of the 

 light of day, while others, again, are all alive and active even un- 

 der the direct rays of the sun. They produce but one at a birth. 

 Finally, they live in numerous troops, some upon trees, others 

 among rocks, and others in old ruined buildings. It was in the 

 g r eat pyramid that Geoffroy-St-Hilaire discovered in Egypt the 

 species which bears his name. 



The Frugivora are unknown in America and Europe. They 

 abound on the Continent of India, in its Archipelago, in Egypt, Se- 

 negal, the Cape, and even in New Holland. 



(A.) Tail-less Roussettes, (Roussettes sans 



QUEUE.) 



GENUS I. PTEROPUS— ROUSSETTE BATS. 

 Syn. Les Roussettes.— Cuv. Reg. Anim. I. 113, 



Pteropcs — Briss. Reg. Anim Illiger Prodr.— Geoffroy-St-Hilaire, 



Ann. du Mm. tome XV. 86. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Head prolonged, straight, conical. Muzzle slender. Incisors vertical. 

 Interfemoral Membrane slightly developed. Fore-finger generally 

 with a claw. 



'12+ C+ (1 F+4 or 5) M_16orl8 

 1-2-F C+ (1"F " 



The Dental Formula U-y-;i ,T ; 



5 ) M 



Its 



=34 or 36 



The Roussettes have trenchant incisors in each jaw, and molars 

 with flat crowns. These grinding teeth have generally two longi- 

 tudinal and parallel furrows, which are worn down by detrition. 

 Hence, these Bats live chiefly on fruits, of which they destroy large 

 quantities ; yet they do not miss an opportunity of pursuing Birds 

 and small Quadrupeds. These are the largest known Bats, and 

 their flesh is eaten. They inhabit the East Indies. 



Their membrane is widely sloped off between the thighs, and 

 they have no tail, or a very small one. Their index finger is one had" 

 shorter than the middle one, and bears a third phalanx, and usually a 

 small nail, which is wanting in the other Bats. The other fingers 

 have only two phalanges. Their muzzle is simple, their nostrils se- 

 parate, the ears middle-sized, without opercula, and their tongue 

 papillate, the papillse being curved backwards. Their stomach con- 

 sists of an extremely elongated and unequally bulging sac. They are 

 found only in Southern Asia, the East Indian Archipelago, Bourbon, 

 and Isle of France, New Holland, Van Diemen's Land, and Africa. 



1. PTEROPUS EDULIS EDIBLE ROUSSETTE. 



Syn. La Roussette nOir — Cuv. Reg. Anim. I. 113. 



PTEROrus edulis — Geoff. Ann. Mus. XV. p. 90.— Desra. Mam. No. 



137. 

 Vespertilio vampyrus, (in part.) — Linn. Gmel. I. 

 Roussette edule, ou kalong. — Temm. 

 Icon. Temm. Mon. Mam. II. pi. 35, fig. 1, (head.)— I. pi. 15, fig. L, 2, 

 (cranium,) 3, (teeth,) 4, 5, 6, (of the young.) 

 Pteropus Javanicus. — Horsf. Zool. Jav. 

 Ternate Bat.— Penn. Quadr. II. pi. 103. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



The Hair on the muzzle, cheeks, and throat, dark brown ; on the sides 

 of the neck and upper part of the head bright red ; a transverse reddish 

 band, and a black band, between the shoulders. 



Inhabits the Sonda Islands, Java, the Moluccas. 



The Edible Roussettes remain during the day suspended in large 

 numbers from the trees. The inhabitants are obliged to protect 

 their fruits with nets, on account of the devastations of these Bats. 

 Their cry is loud, and resembling that of a Goose. They are taken 

 by means of a bag, hung for that purpose at the end of a pole. The 

 natives find the flesh delicate, but Europeans dislike it, on account 

 of its strong odour of musk. 



The Edible Bat is the largest known species, and taking the lead of the 

 others, we shall be somewhat more ample in the details. Its forms are 



