1917.] 



Lang and Chapin, Field Notes on African Chiroptera. 



519 



corax niger) cluck softly as they thread their way among the papyrus stalks 

 or climb up for the night. Then new evidences of life appear, the flickering 

 shapes of small gray bats, fluttering in and out, in most aimless fashion, 

 along the pathways or tunnels through the vegetation, which rises to a 

 height of 12 to 15 feet. About its borders they also hover, always looking 

 as though just about to hang up, raising in the zealous collector's breast 

 false hopes of a more favorable shot in the fast deepening twilight — hopes 

 which are never realized. 



During the day these little bats are more difficult to find, for they retire 

 farther into the swamp, where mud and water are deep and the way barred 

 with tangles of old dry stalks. They never collect in large parties, but are 

 generally seen to take wing singly, fly 15 or 20 yards, and hang themselves 

 up again just beneath a bushy papyrus crown, where they are anything 

 but apparent. 



These papyrus swamps offer good shelter throughout the year, because 

 they are usually spared by the fires that sweep the bushveldt annually. 

 Though they dry out considerably by the end of the rainless season, it is in 

 December, while they are still filled with water, that most of these bush- 

 fires take place. 



Nycteris pallida was never observed in houses, but is sometimes to be 

 found hanging in the tall bamboo reeds along the bank of the River Dungu. 

 Its young appear to be born at the beginning of the rains, as two females 

 taken on April 18 were each carrying one about with them. 



15. Nycteris avakubia sp. nov. 



The single example of this new species, which closely resembles N. arge 

 though of larger size, was taken in a house at Avakubi, where three repre- 

 sentatives of the genus live together. Fig. 3 (p. 426) is copied from a 

 water-color sketch made from the specimen the day it was caught. 



16. Nycteris arge (Thomas). 



The common long-eared Nycteris of the Ituri forest and southern Uele 

 has a tail as long as the head and body, measuring 4.5 inches (114 mm.) 

 over all. Its wings spread 10.5 inches (267 mm.). As noted under N. 

 hispida, this species is seen commonly about houses, circling around in 

 illuminated rooms, or perhaps flying back and forth for long periods beneath 

 a veranda roof, noiseless save for the light pulsations of its wings when it 

 makes a sudden turn. It may remain during the day in deserted dwellings, 

 suspended from the roof by its small feet. 



