NORTH AUSTRALIAN MAMMALIA. 193 



Nyctophilia timoriensis. 



Of all insectivorous bats this species appeared to be the one 

 most common in Arnhem Land. On Daly river the greatest 

 numbers were observed, especially round the houses of the lonely 

 Jesuits' mission station " Uniya," where they literally swarmed. 

 Just at sunset they commenced flying, and during their flight 

 they never arose to any considerable height, mostly keeping so 

 close to the ground that a short stick would serve as a means for 

 knocking them down. Their flight is feeble and fluttering, with 

 sudden darts upward when catching an insect. Now and then 

 a little squeak is uttered very similar to that of a mouse. 



A few specimens occurred around Roebuck Bay. Although 

 the coast of Dampier Land, especially in the rainy season, seemed 

 exceedingly rich in insects, the insectivorous bats, on the whole, 

 were remarkably few in number. 



Scotophilus greyii, Chalinolobus nigrogriseus, Vesperugo tenuis. 



All these little bats were procured in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of Roebuck Bay, and none of the species were numerous. As 

 I have mentioned before, the insectivorous bats were here remark- 

 ably few in number. Only now and then a bat would be seen 

 against the golden evening sky, never arising to any considerable 

 height, and during my stay only one or two specimens of each 

 species were obtained. Only once in Arnhem Land did I see a bat 

 which I believe was the Chalinolobus, but I failed in securing it. 



Canis dingo. " Mujinn " ; " Damarr." 



The dismal howl of the Dingo is one of the characteristic 

 features of a night in tropical Australia. In Arnhem Land, on 

 Victoria River, and around Roebuck Bay, the Wild Dog was 

 common, but mostly occurred singly or in pairs, the large packs 

 described in the tales of bushmen as haunting Central Australia 

 having never been observed by the author. 



The hot day is usually spent sleeping in the shade of an ant- 

 hill or in a patch of long grass, and sundown is the signal for 

 the dogs to commence hunting. It is a common belief that the 

 Dingoes literally hunt their prey down in packs, but no such 

 proceeding ever came to my notice. The food of the Dingo in 



