SCOTOPHILUS DINGANII.— Smith. 
Mammalia. — Plate LIII. 
S. superne villere viridi-brunneo, infra viridi-flavo; alarum membrana purpureo-brunnea ; caudse particula 
ultra membranam interfemoralem extensd ; capite magno ; labiis crassis. 
Longitttdo e nasi apioe ad basin caudae 3 unc. 6 lin . ; caudas 2 unc. 
Vespertilio Dinganii, Smith.— South African Quarterly Journal, New Series, vol. i. 1832. 
Colour. The fur of the upper and lateral parts of the head, neck, and 
body intermediate between honey-yellow and dull orange coloured brown ; 
of the under parts light honey-yellow. Wing and interfemoral membranes 
light reddish brown shaded with brownish red. The muzzle anteriorly, the 
upper lip and the ears yellowish brown tinted with flesh-red and faintly 
clouded with pale brownish red. Antibrachium and the phalanges inter- 
mediate between brownish red and lake-red. Ears light brownish red, with 
a tint of flesh-red. Wings and interfemoral membrane deep purplish brown. 
Form, &c. — Head rather large ; nose broad, full, and rather square ; sides 
of head over upper lip prominent, nostrils projecting and opening for- 
wards ; ears subovate and broader than high ; tragus long, narrow, linear 
and subfalciform, its apex slightly rounded. Body rather robust ; wings 
moderately large; antibrachium long and strong. Thumb slender, weak, 
and slightly hooked ; the first toe reaches nearly to the second joint of the 
second toe. Interfemoral membrane rather large, posteriorly triangular, the 
tail projecting slightly beyond its point. Toes of the hinder feet moderately 
strong and nearly of equal length ; claws strong and much curved. The 
nose and the sides of the head, towards the upper lip, thinly covered with 
short coarse hair ; the rest of the head, neck, and body, densely coated with 
a fine, silky, rather long fur. Interfemoral membrane towards its base with 
a few short rigid hairs both on the upper and under surface. 
The incisor teeth of the upper jaw, in the specimen described, two, small, 
conical, and pointed, one close to each canine ; those of the lower jaw six, 
closely set, small, laterally compressed, and each more or less bicuspidate. 
Canines large, slightly curved, and pointed. The first molar, both above and 
below, conical and pointed ; the others with several pyramidal points. 
Length from nose to base of tail 3 inches 6 lines ; length of tail 2 inches ; 
length of antibrachium 2 inches 3 lines ; expanse of wings 12 inches. 
Specimens of this species are rarely procured in South Africa. The one I possess, and 
another which I saw in the possession of a trader, were both obtained in the country between 
Port Natal and Delagoa Bay. The former, when it was killed, was flitting to and fro on 
the margin of a forest, about sixty miles to the east of N atal. 
