4 



MAMMALOGY. 



2. Vespertilio semicaudatus, PeaU. 



Vespertilio semicaudatus, Peale, Zoology, U. S. Exp. Exp. Vincennes, Quadrupeds, 

 p. 23 (1st ed. 1848). 



Atlas, Mammalogy, Plate I, Fig. 1. Adult. 



y. parvus, cdis elongatis, membrana interfemorali magna, cauda hrevi, 

 fidiginosus, subtus pallid i or, mernhranis fuscis. Long. 3 imc. 



Form. — Small, but with the wings long, legs long, interfemoral mem- 

 brane large, naked, and attached to the tail except at its end, 

 which projects from the upper surface ; the tail extending across 

 not more than half the width of this membrane. Muzzle blunt ; lips 

 somewhat produced or pendant ; ears obovate, somewhat pointed ; 

 tragus short, rounded ; fur dense, long. 



Dimensions. — Male. Total length (specimen in spirits), from tip 

 of nose to outer edge of interfemoral membrane (which is beyond the 

 end of the tail), about three inches ; from tip of nose to end of tail, two 

 inches ; extent of wings, about nine inches ; leg, about one and a half 

 inches ; tail, about six-tenths of an inch ; ear, about four-tenths of an 

 inch. 



Colors. — Entire pilage sooty brown, with a tinge of dark fulvous, 

 paler on the under parts, membranes pale brown. Iris black. 



Hab. — Samoan or Navigator Islands. Specimen in Nat. Mus. Wash- 

 ington City. 



This bat is remarkable for its large interfemoral membrane, which 

 may be said to almost completely absorb the tail. That appendage 

 traces about half the width of this membrane, and at its tip is de- 

 tached from it on the upper surface, leaving about one-tenth of an 

 inch free. From the point of detachment, two diverging lines are 

 readily seen in the prepared specimen, which continue to the outer 

 edge of the membrane. 



We find nothing recorded by the naturalists of the Expedition, in 

 relation to this remarkable bat, except that Mr. Peale observes : 



