THE BULL-DOG BATS OF THE OLD CONTINENT. 



19 



The first published description and representation of this Bat of the Old 

 Continent was supplied by Dr Horsfield, in his Zoological Researches in 

 Java, and this was shortly afterwards followed by the original drawings and 

 accounts of Temminck ; so that our information regarding it is tolerably satis- 

 factory and minute. It is about the size of the Barbastelle Bat, being nearly 

 four inches long, and a foot across from tip to tip of the wing. The alar 

 membranes appear long and slender, on account of their narrowness. 

 The lips are very thick and broad ; the upper being wrinkled vertically 

 with very deep folds, the lower being covered with warts. The inter- 

 femoral membrane proceeds nearly at right angles from the ankle-joint, 

 and envelopes the larger half of the tail; the remainder is quite free. 

 The ears, which are very large, are united on the chanfrin, and have a 

 border on the outer margin. 



The following is Dr Horsfield's description of the canine teeth. The 

 canines are remarkable in both jaws ; in the upper they present interiorly 

 a very sharp cutting edge ; in the lower jaw they are of uncommon size, 

 greatly distended at the base, and provided with a strong, obliquely di- 

 verging process, resembling a thorn, which forces the front teeth in an 

 oblique direction forward. This peculiar structure serves to prevent the 

 escape, and to secure in the interior of the mouth, the minute insects 

 which are seized in the rapid movements of these creatures, until they 

 can be conveyed to the back part of the mouth, where the grinders fur- 

 nish a most effectual apparatus for their immediate destruction. 



The fur is very short, soft, and smooth ; that on the upper part of the 

 body is a blackish-brown, underneath it is ash-coloured. The very thick 

 upper lips are studded throughout their whole length with a series of 

 transverse warts, as is also the lower, but to an inferior extent. The in- 

 terfemoral membrane is supported by rudimentary ossicula. 



The Island of Java is the only locality in which this species has hitherto 

 been observed, though it is probable that they are also observed in Su- 

 matra and Ban da. 



Dr Horsfield supplies the following particulars concerning the habits 

 of this and the allied species. They feed at night. During my residence 

 on the hills of Prowoto, their pursuit afforded me occasional amusement. 

 They are peculiarly abundant on these hills, which are covered with a 

 luxuriant vegetation, and afford a plentiful supply of their favourite food. 

 Thev appeared after sunset, while the light was still sufficient for the 

 purpose of distinguishing objects clearly. Observing them almost uniformly, 

 and in quick succession, to direct their flight along the hedges which sur- 

 rounded a village in which 1 had my abode, I watched them in this situa- 

 tion, and readily caught them with a large net. By this means 1 obtained 

 them in great numbers. 



12. DYSOFES /EGYPTIACUS GEOFFROY'S BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. et Icon. Nyctinomus ^Egyptiaccs. — Geoff. Descr. D'Egypte, tome I. 

 pi. 2, fig. 2. 



Dysopes Geoffroyi Temm. Mon. Mam. I. 226 PI. 19. — 



Fl. 24, fig. 9, (teeth.) 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



' The Hair red above, brown beneath ; a margin of white hairs on the 

 alar membranes along the sides. 



The Interfemoral Membrane destitute of muscular bands. The 

 Tail free for one-half of its length. 



Inhabits Egypt. 



This species was first discovered by M. Geoffroy during the French 

 Expedition to Egypt, was described hy him in the Mem. de I'lnstitut 

 d'Egypte, and represented in the accompanying atlas. More lately it was 

 again sent from Egypt hy M. Ruppell to M. Cretzschmar, keeper of the 

 Museum at Frankfort, who subjected it to M. Temminck's inspection, so 

 that all doubt is removed from its leading characteristics. Its habits, 

 however, are still but little known ; it is found among the catacombs and 

 the subterranean vaults of the great deserted edifices. 



The length of this Bat is about four inches, with an extreme breadth 

 often. The ears, moderate in size, are roundish, but curved somewhat 

 irregularly at their anterior margin ; its base is provided with an internal 

 operculum, and a second one externally, which is of a lenticular shape. 

 Their inner margins do not coalesce. The tail is of the length of the 

 body, half enveloped in the interfemoral membrane, and without mus- 

 cular bands. The fur is close, the hair on the occiput and back of the 

 neck being somewhat longer than elsewhere; a stripe of white hair ex- 

 tends along the alar membrane at its union with the sides. The upper 

 lip is covered with wrinkles, which, however, are not very deep. Its 

 markings are red above, particularly on the occiput ; brown on the abdo- 

 men, with a faint white line running along the mesial line, and assuming 

 somewhat of a rosy tint towards the flanks. 



13. DYSOPES CESTONII CESTONI'S BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. Dinops Cestonii Savi, in Nuov. Giorn. di Letter, No, 21, p. 230. — 



No. 37, p. 46. 

 MOLOSstts Ruppelui. — Less. Mam. 



Icon. Dysopes Ruppelui Temm. Mon. Mam. I. 224, pi. 18. — PI. 26, fig 



6, 8, 9, (cran. and teeth.) 

 Dysopes Cestonii Bonap.' Faun. Ital. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



The Hair uniform mouse grey above ; paler beneath. The Ears ex- 

 cessively large, shading the face not approximated. 



The Interfemoral Membrane without muscular bands. The Tail 

 or the major part free. 



Inhabits Egypt and Italy. 



Cestoni's Bull-Dog Bat is about the size of the Common Bat of 

 Europe. The external ears, especially the concha? are excessively large, 

 quite overshadowing the face ; their internal margins, however, are not 

 united, but project from the forehead by a common base, a large internal 

 fold al the same time covering the eyes. The base of the ear is pro- 

 vided with an internal operculum, and with a second which is external, 

 and lenticular in shape. The tail is of the same length with the body 

 proper, and is thick, depressed, being more than half enveloped in the 

 interfemoral membrane, which is destitute of muscular bands. The toes 

 are covered with whitish bristles ; and the great one is considerably freer 

 than the others. The two upper incisors are wide apart, the six or four 

 (as it may happen) inferior are crowded together, and the internal ones 

 are projected forwards. There is a very small anomalous tooth in the 

 upper jaw, between the canine and the first false molar. The fur is abun- 

 dant, fine, close, and smooth, a large border of close hairs running along 

 the origin of the alar membranes at the flanks. The muzzle is covered 

 with black hairs, few and diverging ; the lips are large, pendant, and 

 folded. The upper parts of the body are throughout of a uniform mouse- 

 grey colour, as are also the lower, but of a somewhat lighter shade. The 

 alar membranes are very narrow, but the expanse from tip to tip of the 

 wings is great, amounting to fifteen or sixteen inches. 



The fiist notice of this species was given by Professor Savi of Pisa, 

 who, however, was acquainted with the young only. 



We owe our knowledge of the adult to the researches of M. Ruppell 

 in Egypt, who has brought to light many of those animals which had 

 been indicated by Aristotle and Piiny, and concerning which modern Na- 

 turalists had erred when they imagined that their prototypes were to 

 he found in Southern Africa. 



14. DYSOPES PL1CATUS.— CHAMCHECKA BULL-DOG BAT. 



Syn. Nyctinomus Bengalensis. — Geoff, in Instit. d'Egypte Hist Nat. II. 

 130. 

 Dysopes plicatus, (Molosse Chamche.) — Temm. Mon. Mam. I. 223. 

 Icon. Vespebtilio plicatus Buchanan, in Linn. Trans. V. pi. 13. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



The Hair of a sooty brown, mixed with grey above ; paler beneath ; 

 a broad hairy band, arising from the sides, at the margin of the alar mem- 

 brane. 



The Interfemoral Membrane naked, with muscular bands. The 

 Tail free for one-halt of its length. 



Inhabits Bengal. 



The Chamchecka Bat, to adopt its Hindoo name, was first described 

 by the late celebrated Dr F. Hamilton Buchanan in 1 799, in the fifth vol. of 

 the Linnsean Transactions ; it was then noticed in Egypt by M. Geoffroy, 

 and Temminck tells us he saw a couple of specimens in the collection of 

 a dealer in articles of Natural History in London. We shall here con- 

 dense Dr Buchanan's account. 



From the point of the nose to the root of the tail it measures threa 

 inches ; from the extremity of one wing to that of the other twelve. Thi! 

 wings and naked parts of the body are soot-coloured ; the hair is mixed 

 with ash-colour, and is paler below than on the back. The head is 

 large, thick at the shoulders, and tapers gradually to the snout, which is 

 blunt, terminates in a heart-shaped margin, and projects far before the 

 lower jaw, mostly naked; it has still some long erect bristles on it. The 

 nostrils are small circular holes, remote from each other, and placed under 

 the margin of the snout. The upper lip hangs over the under jaw, 

 at the sides, and is there deeply wiinkled with seven or eight vertical 

 folds. The ears are large, blunt, wrinkled, and somewhat pendulous : 

 from being bent into several folds, they at first sight appear to be 



1 Bonap. Faun. Ital Iconografia della Fauna Italica di Carlo Luciano Bon?parte, Principe di Musignano. Roma, 1835, et seq. 



