1917.] 



Allen, Lang and Chapin, Bats from the Belgian Congo. 



461 



decorative effect, especially when the crest hairs are particolored — rufous at base 

 and pure white for the apical half, as in C. (L.) chapini — it vies with the spectacular 

 head ornamentation occurring in many groups of birds. 



The taxonomic value of Lophomops may be open to question. The 

 peculiar character of the crest is not only its great size and striking effect, 

 but the fact of its origin being from the whole posterior face of the deep 

 membrane connecting the ears, instead of from the front of the head behind 

 the ears. A number of species of both Cheer ephon and Nyctinomus have 

 slightly lengthened tufts of glandular hairs behind the ears arising from the 

 front part of the crown (not from the connecting membrane of the ears), 

 consisting usually of lengthened crinkled hairs, a little longer and coarser 

 than the adjoining fur, and usually of a darker color. These patches of 

 specialized hairs frequently appear to be restricted to males, but in some 

 species are present in both sexes, as is the case with the gular sac. They 

 are, however, inconspicuous in comparison with the crests of the Lophomops 

 group. Three species of this group are here described, of which Cheer ephon 

 {Lophomops) chapini is here designated as the type. 



Dysopes limbatus Peters (now regarded as a Cheer ephon) is described by 

 de Win ton 1 as having a " long crest of erect hairs behind the connecting 

 membrane of the ears in the males," but he does not say that they arise 

 from its posterior face. Peters does not describe nor does his figure repre- 

 sent any such crest as is seen in Lophomops. He simply says : " Die Haare 

 auf dem Kopfe hinter der Vereinigung der Ohren sind langer and steifer 

 als am iibrigen Korper." The type locality of Dysopes limbatus is Mozam- 

 bique Island, and it is possible that the specimens de Winton had in hand 

 were not the true limbatus of Peters, and are perhaps referable to some form 

 of Lophomops. C. limbatus (Peters) is probably a near relative of C. hindei 

 (Thomas). 



58. Chserephon (Lophomops) chapini sp. nov. 

 Text Fig. 9. 



Type, No. 48841, c? ad. (skin and skull; topotype, No. 49209, cT ad., alcoholic), 

 Faradje, northeastern Belgian Congo, Nov. 11, 1912 (topotype, Jan. 12, 1913); 

 Herbert Lang and James P. Chapin. American Museum Congo Expedition. Orig. 

 No. 1971. 



Head in males conspicuously crested, the crest arising from the posterior face of 

 the deep membrane connecting the ears; breadth of the crest at base, 8.5 mm.; 

 length of crest, 13 mm. in type, 14 in topotype; basal half reddish chestnut, apical 



1 Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (7), VII, p. 39, Jan., 1901. 



