192 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



In Arnhem Land I found it frequenting the locality where the 

 " Wogoit" was first discovered, in the peculiar granitic formation 

 on the western heads of the Mary river. 



Crawling through the immense stone heaps characteristic of 

 the region, one could observe these little bats suspended by the 

 hind legs from the rocky roofs of the different chambers. Hanging 

 in this position, their delicate bodies were constantly shaking 

 with a light quivering motion. At a short distance from the 

 observer they would hang perfectly quiet, but the moment I 

 approached them with my hand they would utter a squeak like 

 that of a mouse and flutter away to the next chamber. They 

 seemed to feel the least disturbance of the air surrounding them. 

 None of the specimens killed in the month of May had any 

 young ones attached to the breasts. 



At sunset they will commence hunting for insects in the 

 forest around the hills, and are then, as a rule, seen nearly level 

 with the tree-tops. They were numerous, and although the 

 above-mentioned granitic formation was the only locality where 

 I secured specimens, I feel confident of their occurrence in the 

 caves of the central table-land. 



Taphozous aiistralis. 



This insectivorous bat, with its great clumsy head, is con- 

 siderably larger than the H. muscinus, and, contrary to the custom 

 of the latter, it is always hanging by the fore-limbs when at rest. 

 The granitic formation on the western heads of the river Mary 

 was the only place where it was observed during my travels in 

 Arnhem Land, and here it inhabited the same rocky crevices and 

 caves as H. muscinus. 



As a rule, it chooses slanting rocks for resting, and besides 

 clinging to the rock by the fore limbs, as above mentioned, it 

 also supports the body by the posterior extremities. Upon the 

 sight of man these bats rock forward and backward with an utterly 

 comical motion, then for a moment they sit perfectly quiet, with 

 glistening teeth, and finally with a squeak dart at the intruder. 

 They are only moderately nocturnal in habit. When disturbed 

 they will very often leave the caves, and even in the middle of the 

 day flutter about high in the air, perch in the tall trees, and after 

 some time return to shelter amongst the rocks. 



