THE BULL-DOG BATS OF AMERICA. 



17 



(A.) BULL-DOG BATS OF AMERICA. 

 1. DYSOPES RUFUS.— RUFOUS BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. Molossus rufus. — Geoff. Ann. Mus. VI. 155 Desm. Mam. 



Dysopes rufus, (Molosse Marron ou Doguin.) — Teram. Mon. Mam. I. 

 230. 

 Icon. Dysopes perotis. — Pr. Max. Abbild. 



Temm. Mon. Mam. pi. 23, fig. 17, 18, 19, (cranium and teeth.) 



specific characters. 



The Hair dark reddish-brown above, l.ght reddish-brown beneath. 

 The Membranes and Ears dark brown. 

 The Muzzle very broad and short. The Tail robust. 

 Inhabits Surinam and Brazil. 



The size of the Rufous Bull-Dog Bat is considerably larger than that 

 of the Common Bat of English authors, the length of the body being up- 

 wards of three inches, of the tail two, and across, from tip of the one 

 wing to that of the other, sixteen inches. Its muzzle is of enormous size, 

 very full and short, and somewhat resembling that of the Bull-Dog ; the 

 gape of the mouth is also very large, and the external ear exceedingly 

 developed ; the interfemoral membrane is connected, angle-shaped, to the 

 middle of the tail, enveloping the upper portion, and leaving the other 

 half free, and without any membraneous edging; the lips are surrounded 

 with hairs, but have no verruca? or warts about them ; the inner parts of 

 the ears, and the base of the outer surface, are clad with hair. The fur 

 of the upper parts of the animal is of a deep reddish chestnut colour, of 

 the lower of a lighter reddish chestnut ; the ears and membranes dusky 

 brown. 



M. Geoffroy first described this animal ; and M. Temminck, who, in the 

 Low Countries, in the year 1827, examined a specimen preserved in 

 spirits of wine, states that its habitat is unknown. The individual which 

 supplied Prince Maximilian's description and plate was procured in the 

 Brazils. 



2. DYSOPES ALECTO BLACK BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. Dysopes Alecto, (Molosse alecto.) — Temm. Mon. Mam. I. 231. 



Molossus Alecto. — Less. Mam. 101. 

 Icon. Temm. Mon. Mam. pi. 20, (old.) — pi. 23, fig. 23 to 26, (cranium and 

 teeth.) 



specific characters. 



The Hair deep and shining black. The Membranes small and very 

 narrow. The Tail free for the greater part of its length. 

 Inhabits Brazil. 



The length of the body of the Black Bull-Dog Bat is very much the 

 same as that of the one last described, whilst its extreme breadth is not 

 more than a foot. The wings are hence somewhat disproportioned to 

 the size of the body, being very narrow, as if clipped ; the tail is free for 

 about two-thirds of its dimensions. The ears are much broader than 

 they are elevated ; they are united in front, and are prolonged, riband- 

 like, towards the nostrils, which are almost united. The head is short, 

 and surmounted by a very elevated coronal crest, which runs down the 

 chanfrin. The canines, having each a strong heel, are contiguous, and 

 two fine bilobed incisors project in front of them. Some long hairs ap- 

 pear on the lower part of the back, but the rest of the fur appears like 

 very fine silk velvet, having a beautiful lustre ; the membrane which con- 

 nects the arm with the fore-arm is clothed with close and short hairs, 

 which extend along the arm, and between the origin of the two last fin- 

 gers. The colour, above and below, is a brilliant and shining black ; the 

 membranes and face are also black. The additional aural appendage is 

 broad, and the common one, which is not high, is in the shape of a semi- 

 circle. 



This new species was introduced by Temminck, who justly remarks, 

 that its hideous physiognomy, short feet, and sombre colouring, make the 

 name he has bestowed peculiarly appropriate. 



Its habits are quite unknown. 



a DYSOPES ABRASUS— SHORN BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. Dvsopes abrasus, (Molosse a foils ras.) — Temm. Mon. Mam. I. 232, 



Molossus abrasus. — Less. Mam. 102. 

 Icon. Temm. Mon. Mam. pL 21, (young.) 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



The Hair very short but thick, very bright reddish-brown above ; 

 lighter and more dingy beneath. The Membranes black. 

 Inhabits Brazil. 

 VOL. it. 



The Shorn Bull-Dog Bat has much the same forms, but is somewhat 

 less than the preceding. The lesser half of the tail is free of the inter- 

 femoral membrane ; the ears are nearly as broad as they are high ; they 

 are distinct, and not united upon the chanfrin ; the muzzle terminates in 

 the nostrils, which are far apart. The head is short andfobtuse. The ca- 

 nines have a large heel, and are continuous, whilst two delicate bilobed in- 

 cisors project in front of them. In the young, the canines are somewhat 

 separated, and between them four bilobed incisors are found, somewhat 

 crowded together. 



The fur is very spare, but close; and the hairs appear more or less 

 to adhere throughout their course. On the forehead, and the membrane 

 which unites the arm and fore-arm, also on a stripe along the latter part, 

 and at the base of the little finger, the skin is covered with short and 

 close hair ; hut all these parts are naked beneath. The upper parts are 

 of a very bright and shining chestnut colour, somewhat duller and paler 

 beneath ; the membranes are black. This species was first described by 

 Temminck. Its habits are unknown. 



4. DYSOPES NASUTUS LONG-NOSED BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. Dysopes nasutus, ( Molosse velox. ) — Temm. Mon. Mam. I. 233. 

 Nyctinomus nasutus. — Gray, in Mag. Zool. and Bot. II. 501. 



Icon. Nyctinomus Bbasiuensis Isid. Geoff, in Ann. des Sc. Nat. I. pi. 22. 



— Copied in Zool. Journ. I. pi. 11. 

 Molossus nasutus. — Spix, Sim. et Vesp. Bras., pi. 35, fig. 7, (indif- 

 ferent ) 

 Temm. Mon. Mam. pi. 24, fig. 2, 3, (skeleton.) 



specific characters. 



The Hair yellowish-brown above; greyish-brown beneath; a band 

 detached from the rest of the hair, on the internal surface of the mem- 

 branes ; the long hairs of the hinder feet silvery white. The Membranes 

 brown. 



The Nostrils prolonged. 



Inhabits Brazil. 



The Long-nosed Bull-Dog Bat is one which has long been known as 

 very common, and widely spread over the Brazils. It has been men- 

 tioned by M. Natterer of Vienna, by the Prince de Neuwied, and many 

 other travellers, and specimens have long been preserved in the museums 

 of the Low Countries, of Berlin, Munich, &c. By a fortunate mistake, 

 however, eleven specimens having been transmitted from South Ame- 

 rica by M. Augustus-St-Hilaire, they fell, many years ago, into the hands 

 of M. Isidore-St-Hilaire, who, apparently ignorant that they were pretty 

 well known, made his debut in the Science by publishing a long account 

 of them in the Ann. des Sciences Naturelles. He takes occasion, from 

 the subject, to discuss the dogma laid down by the celebrated Buffon, 

 that the animals of the one Continent are wanting in the other, and shows 

 that, although this is very extensively, it is not universally true. At the 

 time he wrote, (1824,) he could say, " That, of all the genera of Simia, 

 Lemures, Chiroptera, and Insectivora, now known, there is not one, I 

 may venture to affirm, whose existence in both Continents is unques- 

 tionable. The first instance that we find of this simultaneous existence 

 in the two worlds, is in the Carnivora, where we come to the Ursi, 

 Feles, &c." He then goes op to prove, at length, that this Dysopes is 

 unequivocally of the same genus with that section which is more common 

 in the Old World, and concludes the interesting discussion in these 

 words : — " We must not forget, that the truth of the idea (Buffon's) 

 which 1 have just proved erroneous, seemed demonstrated by the expe- 

 rience of ages, and consequently that the exceptions to the rule are very 

 rare. Difference of country neither can nor will any longer be a proof 

 of difference of organization, but it can and must always be an indication 

 of it : it can no longer prove it; but it ought always to make us suspect 

 it ; in a word, it can no longer command, but it will always counsel ; and 

 thus the Naturalist, without blindly following the route it points out, 

 ought carefully to collect its indications, that he may advance with firmer 

 and truer step in the path he has thought fit to pursue." 



The whole length of this Bat is about four inches, and its breadth across 

 the wings between eleven and twelve. The snout is slender, the nostrils 

 prominent, the muzzle short, and the lips marked with transverse wrinkles. 

 The ears are broad, roundish, not united ; the tail is long, and the upper 

 and longest portion engaged in the inteifemoral membrane, the rest being 

 free. The fur is short, very soft, and somewhat shining. All the supe- 

 ior parts, and the head, are of a dull or fawn brown ; beneath, greyish- 

 brown prevails ; a stripe, distinguished from the rest of the coat, extends 

 along the flanks on the internal side of the membrane ; long hairs cover 

 the toes, and these are of a silvery whiteness. The membranes are 

 brown. 



Of its habits we have seen no accoint. 



