18 PTBEOPODID^. 



has two dilatations and some deep longitudinaL rng» or folds. The 

 pyloric orifice is very small, whilst the oesophageal is dilated widely. The 

 intestinal canal is long, being about seven times the length of the body. 

 The females of some are provided vrith nursmg pouches. It is possible 

 that the fabulous Harpy of the ancients was one of these large bats. 



Gen. Ptekopus, Geofifroy. 



4 . 1—1 , 5—5 T J e 



C/jar.— Incisors, -j-, canmes, -t^t; molars, -w^- l^aex finger un- 



:guiculate. Snout lengthened. No tail in some ; a short one in others. 

 The tongue is covered with large papillae, pointing backwards, each termi- 

 nating in a brush. 



12. Pteropus Edwardsi. 



Gkoffeoy. — p. medius, Temminok. — P. leucocephalus, Hodgson. — P. 

 assamensis, MoLelland. — Elliot, Cat. 3 — Blyth, Cat. 51. — Gadal, or 

 Barhagal, H. in the South. — Bddun and Pata debit, H. in the North. — 

 Badul, Beng. — WarhagM Mahar. — Toggul hawali, Can. — Sikat-yelli, of 

 JVuddurs. — Sihurayi, Tel — Plying-fox of Europeans in India. 



The Laegb Fox Bat. 



Descr. — Head and nape rufous-black ; neck and shoulders golden-yel- 

 low; back, dark-brown; chin, dark; rest of body beneath, fulvous or 

 xusty brown ; interfemoral membrane, brownish-black. 



Length, 12 to 14J inches ; extent of wings, 46 to 52 inches. 



This large bat, the flying fox of Europeans, is found throughout all 

 India, Ceylon, and Burmah. Specimens vary considerably in shade and 

 coloration. 



During the day they roost on trees, generally in large colonies, many 

 hundred often occupying a single tree to which they invariably resort if 

 not driven away. Towards sunset they begin to get restless, move about 

 along the branches, and by ones and twos fly off for their nightly rounds. 

 If water is at hand, a tank, or a river, or the sea, they fly cautiously down 

 and touch the water, but I could not ascertain if they took a sip, or merely 

 dipped part of their bodies in.* They fly vast distances occasionally to 



* A recent writer on observing this lias jumped to the conclusion that they do this for the 

 purpose of fishing, and a note on the fishiag propensities of the Pteropits is to be found in n late 

 number of the Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



