﻿^'SOX.— Observations on the New Zealand Bats. 187 



to grasp the brandies of trees, although it should be remarked that one of the 

 specimens I have to describe was caught amongst the rigging of Her Majesty's 

 Ship ' Clio ' in Milford Sound. The ears in this specimen measured '5 inch 

 from base to tip, the ti-agus was about half the length, narrow, but admirably 

 formed to protect the meatus from the entrance of any minute insect. 



In July, 1843, a similar bat was kindly presented to me, and after examining 

 it with gi-eat care, I sent the skeleton, skin, and other parts, to the British 

 Museum. Of this specimen I possess pencil sketches, and a tolerably minute 

 anatomical description. I remark from my Ms. observations — and by making a 

 reference to the pencil sketches — that the tail projected free from the inter- 

 femoral integumentary expansion. A well-defined line ran from the wrist- 

 joint, sweeping round to the elbow, knee, and setting on of the tail, dividing 

 the wing-shaped pectoral extremity, so that on the internal segment hair was 

 developed, whilst on the external segment, the integumentary expansion was 

 perfectly smooth, so that when the fore-arm and hand was completely drawn 

 in or retracted, the tail being fi-ee, the animal resembled in every respect, even 

 in that of colour and soft silky hair, a little mouse, and the small short thumb, 

 with its peculiar nail, would rest on the ground. Numerous strong hairs sur- 

 rounded the upper lip on each side, and formed a very respectable moustache. 

 The stomach was nearly globular, the wall being extremely thin ; intestines 

 seven inches in length, with a calibre of three lines, and walls stronger than 

 that of the stomach. No caecum. A small quantity of debris of a black inky 

 colour floated in the intestine ; liver, human type ; spleen, -75 inch long by 

 •08 inch broad ; kidneys large, 'SS inch long, smooth, indicative of the carni- 

 vorous character; the tongue was 0"75inch in length, narrowing from the base 

 to the apex, and crossed by nine ridges of such a nature as to prevent the escape 

 of any insect, however minute. 



A short time ago (August, 1871), another specimen of the same bat was 

 kindly piit into my hands by Dr. Hector, with a request that I would examine 

 it anatomically. The examination of this specimen has not been so complete, 

 in consequence of its having been immersed in a solution of carbolic acid, 

 which had hardened the whole, but more especially the viscera, into a solid 

 mass, which also rendered it impossible to prepare the skin in an entire state. 

 The skeleton, however, which is now before the Society, has turned out better 

 than I could have anticipated, seeing that it had escaped the destructive clutches 

 of the " stuffer." This mode of exhibiting the skeleton of the bat was adopted 

 by me many years ago, as being the best to display its very remarkable con- 

 struction, and at the same time obviate the necessity of handling . 



The other bat, which is placed by Dr. Gray in the genus Scotophilus, appears 

 to be the more common of the two species as yet found in New Zealand. 

 There are now many specimens of this bat in the Museum, varying, however, 



