1917.] 



Lang and Chapin, Field Notes on African Chiroptera. 



551 



forms as seldom settle in colonies but usually change their abode from day 

 to day. Among the fruit-bats, the gregarious roussette (Eidolon helvum) 

 (p. 499) is perhaps more troubled by these parasites than any other bat, 

 and they clean or comb themselves much in the same manner as molossids, 

 but their, long toes are bare and without a trace of spoon-hairs. Hanging 

 by one foot, bats scratch or comb themselves with the other with perfect 

 ease all over the belly or about the head and can also reach their backs. 

 Should any parasite be caught even momentarily between such spoon-hairs 

 molossids are certainly adroit enough to dispose of it rapidly. 



57. Chserephon sp. indet. 



Though this specimen is still immature, it is already larger than Chcere- 

 phon russatus, which it resembles in every respect save that it has a much 

 more reddish-brown ventral surface. 



It w&s shot at Avakubi as it circled over the Ituri River, preying on 

 insects. 



58. Chaerephon (Lophomops) chapini sp. nov. 



Text Fig. 9 (p. 462). 



This small free-tailed bat owes its bizarre appearance to the pretty tuft 

 of long silky hair that decorates the top of its head. Just as in C. cristatus, 

 this topknot, attached to the posterior surface of the membrane joining the 

 ears, can be either erected conspicuously or laid back almost out of sight 

 by drawing this fold of skin forward or backward. But in the present 

 species it is far more beautiful; not only are the hairs longer, but while 

 their tips are of a whitish color, their basal portions, forming the center of 

 the crest, are of a rich warm brown. The fur of the body is dull-brown 

 above, and light gray-brown below, the wing membranes filmy white. 

 From nose to tip of tail the length is but 3.3 inches (84 mm.). The only two 

 specimens, both males, are from Faradje; and the species, like C. cristatus, 

 inhabits an open district. The forest does not seem to be favored by these 

 tufted bats. 



Little can be said of the habits of C. chapini. Our first specimen was 

 captured by a black servant in a house at the station, but surely they were 

 not of regular occurrence there, as no other could be secured. The second 

 specimen was taken from the crop of the strange, crepuscular bat-catching 

 hawk, Machwrhamphus anderssoni. Although darkness had not yet com- 

 pletely closed in, this bird had eaten four small bats, representing as many 

 distinct species, three of which were still unknown to science: Chaerephon 

 chapini, Allomops faradjius, Eptesicus ater and Pipistrellus nanus. In 



