444 EMBAtLONUEID.E. 



the presence of an additional joint in the middle finger, to the thin- 

 ness of the wing-membrane, and especially to the manner iia which 

 the phalanges of the fingers are folded. The first phalanx of the 

 middle finger, instead of being folded (in repose) upon the dorsal 

 surface of the metacarpal bone (as in the other species of this sub- 

 family), is flexed downwards, inwards, and forwards upon the infe- 

 rior surface of the metacarpal, carrying with it (by traction on the 

 membrane) the corresponding phalanx of the fourth finger, which 

 lies folded downwards and forwards, between it and the metacarpal 

 bone ; the second phalanx is folded backwards on the first, and the 

 third phalanx is folded forwards on the second. Being thus reduced 

 by this peculiar folding process into the smallest possible space, the 

 wing is then tucked in beneath the thickened portion of the wing- 

 membrane, and between it and the inferior thin margin of a strong 

 musculo-tendinous band, which extends from the distal fourth of the 

 humerus and from the inferior surface of the rudimentary and 

 thickened antebrachial membrane along the inferior surface of the 

 humerus to the metacarpal bone of the thumb. The posterior half 

 of the interfemoral membrane, from the point where the taQ per- 

 forates it, is rolled upwards and forwards beneath the leathery an- 

 terior half. With the wing- and interfemoral membranes thus 

 encased, this species is the most quadrupedal of Bats. 



Fur very pecuUar, and quite different from that of any other 

 known species of Bat, so that the quality of the fur is alone charac- 

 teristic of this very remarkable species. The hairs are moderately 

 long and much thicker than in any other species. Viewed under 

 the microscope the shaft of each of the long hairs appears almost 

 quite smooth, with very slight indication of the margins of the 

 hair-scales so conspicuous in every other species of Chiroptera. 



Above, brown, the terminal third of the hairs greyish brown ; be- 

 neath much paler. The face is thickly covered, and long erect hairs 

 spring from the small glandular prominences behind the nostrUs and 

 fringe the lip, but the membranes are nearly naked. 



Upper incisors as in Mohssus i-ufus, with diverging cusps, lower 

 incisors trifid ; first and second upper premolars about half the size 

 of the canine and nearly equal ; first lower premolar about three 

 fourths the second in vertical extent, but equal to it in cross section ; 

 all the molars acutely tubercular. 



Length, head and body 2"-5, taU 0"-7, head l"-05, ear 0"'7, tragus 

 0"'4, forearm l"-75, thumb 0"'4 ; third finger — metacarp. l"-55, 

 1st ph. 0"-45, 2ud ph. 0"-55, 3rd ph. 0"-55; fourth finger — metacarp. 

 l"-55, 1st ph. 0"-4, 2nd ph. 0"-55 ; fifth finger — metacarp. l"-4, 1st 

 ph. 0"-28, 2nd ph. 0"-4 x 0"-3 ; tibia 0"-65, foot 0"-55. 



Hah. New Zealand. 



The peculiarities of structure described above must accompany 

 some corresponding peculiarities in the habits of this species. The 

 denticles at tlie bases of the very sharp claws of the thumbs and feet 

 would undoubtedly greatly assist the animal in making good its hold 

 when climbing ; and this, taken into consideration with the peculiar 

 manner in which the wings are protected from injury when not em- 



