270 TESPEETILIONIPiE. 



The face (except the labial prominences) and the head are thickly 

 covered with fur, which is almost as long as the ears. On the wing- 

 membrane the fur on the upper surface extends very densely as far 

 as a line drawn from the middle of the humerus to the base of the 

 toes (when the legs are extended outwards as when flying) ; the 

 interfemoral membrane to the extreme posterior edge, beyond which 

 a fringe of long hairs projects, the legs, and the back of the feet are 

 almost as thickly covered as the body of the animal. Beneath, the 

 fur extends upon the wing-membrane behind the humerus and fore- 

 arm as far as a line drawn from the extended knee to the junction 

 of the proximal and middle thirds of the fifth metacarpal bone; 

 occupying also the angle between the fifth and fourth fingers, and 

 extending backwards upon the membrane in a narrow line for three 

 fourths the length of the metacarpal of the longest finger. A small 

 tuft of white hairs appears above at the base of the thumb, and a 

 line of short hairs extends backwards on the proximal half of the 

 dorsum of the metacarpal bone of the fifth finger ; the forearm is 

 quite naked. 



Above, pale straw-colour at the base and for three fourths the 

 length of the hairs, the extremities bright reddish chestnut (or 

 brownish red in specimens from the northern parts of N. America), 

 minutely tipped with grey, so that the surface of the fur appears 

 dusted with a fine ash ; on the interfemoral membrane bright chest- 

 nut throughout. Beneath, on the neck similar to the upper surface 

 but paler ; on the chest and abdomen black at the base, with reddish- 

 yellow extremities ; below the point of origin from the shoulder of 

 the antebrachial membrane a patch of pure white exists on either 

 side, connected across the chest by broad irregular, and occasionally 

 very indistinct, bands of white. 



The ears, the antebrachial membrane, and that part of the wing- 

 membrane covered by hair beneath is of the same tint as the fur of 

 the body, and the same bright colour prevails along the fingers. 

 The rest of the membranes dark brown or black, dotted with small 

 yeUow points. 



The first upper premolar minute, in the angle between the canine 

 and second premolar ; middle lower incisors largest and trifld, the 

 others smaller and smooth. 



Length, head and body 2", tail 1"'8, ear 0""5, tragus 0"'3, fore- 

 arm l"-5, thumb 0"-35, third finger 3"-l, fifth finger l"-9, tibia 

 0"-75, foot 0"-35. 



Hah. Generally distributed throughout the Nearctic Region from 

 Canada to Texas ; represented in the Neotropical Eegion by three 

 or more varieties described below. 



The following have been described as distinct species : — 



