46 PTEEOPODID-E. 



of the wings with much certainty, owing to the stretching undergone 

 by the skin in the drying process. The value of these characters 

 can only be determined by a large series of specimens preserved in 

 alcohol, which no museum as j'et possesses. 



(For measurements see Table, p. 47.) 

 a. 5 ad. sk. Aru Islands. A. R. "Wallace, Esq. [C.]. 



Var. y. 



Pteropus melanopogon, var. neohibemicus, Peteis, MB. Akad. Berl. 



1876, p. 817. 



I have not seen the specimens described under this name by Dr. 

 Peters, who remarks that they agree so closely in the form of the 

 ears, in the proportional measurements of parts, in the development 

 of the volar membranes, in the fur, and in the form of the skuU 

 with the typical examples of Pt. melanopogon from Celebes and 

 Amboina that it is impossible to separate them from that species. 

 They differ, however, in the colour of the fur, of which the follow- 

 ing description is given : — 



In the male the face and forehead is dark reddish brown, nape of 

 the neck reddish, neck paler, back darker, breast and abdomen 

 lighter reddish brown. Hair covering the antebrachial and wing- 

 membranes along the sides of the body beneath reddish. 



In the female the face is paler, more yellowish red, also the nape 

 of the neck, breast, and abdomen ; neck and back still more yel- 

 lowish, palest posteriorly. 



Ear 1"-1, forearm 5".' 



The above measurements show that these specimens are much 

 smaller than typical examples of Pt. melanopogon, and they arc 

 therefore probably immature. 



The collection possesses a specimen of a nearly adult male of 

 this species, which was obtained in Duke of York Island, near 

 the coast of New Ireland, whence came the types of Dr. Peters'a 

 variety described above. This specimen is very much larger, nearly 

 as large as full-grown specimens of Pt. melanojiogoti from Ceram, 

 but agrees so closely in other respects with the New-Ireland forms, 

 that I have no hesitation in placing it under the same name. It 

 differs, however, in having slightly shorter ears, and an index finger 

 ■exceeding in its proportional length not only that of every other 

 specimen of this species as yet known (see measurements below), but 

 also those of every species of the genus. This may, however, be an 

 individual peculiarity, and I hesitate, in the absence of other speci- 

 mens, to ascribe any value to it. The fur is dark reddish brown, 

 with a slightly greyish tinge, on the face, between the eyes, and 

 imder the jaws ; head, neck, shoulders, and the whole under surface 

 of the body bright reddish brown, with a yellowish tinge, the hairs 

 paler and more yellowish towards the base ; on the back dark 

 brown, intermixed with bright sulphur-yeUow, which replaces the 

 brown across the loins ; interfemoral membrane with longer, dark 

 brown, almost black hairs. 



