9,76 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
alone for tlie sake of the pleasure of eating.” It is hardly fair, perhaps, to apply the character of this 
disgusting little gormandiser to his whole species, but no doubt if the rest of his kind only approxi- 
mate to his prowess, they must do incalculable mischief in the plantations of fruit-trees. According to 
Captain Hutton, these Bats travel long distances, as much as thirty or forty miles in search of food, and 
back again the same night. This is most strikingly shown in their frequenting the valleys of the Debra 
Boon and Nepaul to feed on the guavas growing there, as they are never seen in these localities during 
the day, but arrive there during the fruit season about midnight, and depart again before morning. “To 
reach Delira,” says Captain Hutton, “ they must either cross the Sivalik range of hills, from 3,000 to 
3,500 feet high, or thread their way for miles through the passes leading into the Doon, though even 
then we may ask until amazement how, when they are approaching the Sivaliks, they can tell that there is 
fruit some twenty miles in advance of them ! To reach the valley of 
Nepaul at 6,000 feet of elevation they must ascend and descend the 
mountains ; and yet, wonderful to say, they penetrate no farther into 
the hills, neither do they descend from the Doon to Mussooree, appa- 
rently instinctively knowing that they will find no guavas farther in 
the hills ! Almost equally astonishing is it that, having thus feasted 
in the Doon and Nepaul, they should be able to find their way back 
again, through forests and hills, for thirty or forty miles to their 
natural haunts in the plains.” Captain Hutton fully confirms Mr. 
Dobson’s statements as to the greediness of this Bat. He says that 
one he had “in Calcutta in 1849 appeared to be almost incessantly 
eating, resting only, even during the day, for a short interval of sleep, and then recommencing upon 
ripe guavas, as if it had not seen food for a fortnight.” 
HEAD OF THE MARGINED FRUIT TiAT. 
(Three-quarters natural size). 
WHITE’S FRUIT BAT* 
A series of peculiar species are inhabitants of the continent of Africa, from the Northern tropic to 
the Cape of Good Hope. They have the muzzle rather elongated, the molar teeth three on each side 
in the upper, and five on each side in the lower jaw, the base of the thumb united to the index finger 
by membrane, and the tail very short and chiefly enclosed in the small interfemoral membrane. The 
males have tufts of divergent white hairs on the shoulders, whence the generic name of Epomophorus , 
applied to these Bats, has been derived. The best-known species is the Epomophorus Whitii, an 
inhabitant of Western Africa (Senegambia and Guinea), which measures about six and a half inches in 
length, and has an expanse of wing of about eighteen inches. Its fur is reddish-brown above, and 
greyish beneath, and both sexes present white spots at the base of the ears. 
THE HAMMER-HEADED BAT.f 
A species presenting so grotesque an appearance that it might almost have served as the original 
of one of Callot’s demons (see next page), was discovered some years ago in Western Africa, by 
M. Du Chaillu, and described by Dr. Allen, of Philadelphia. It is allied to Epomophorus , but 
differs from all other P ter opine Bats in the extraordinary size and shape of the head, which has 
a liammer-like appearance, owing to the muzzle being enormously developed and cut off abruptly in 
front, and the whole of this part of the animal is garnished with curious fleshy lobes, which give it a 
most singular aspect. The length of the head and body is about twelve inches, and the expanse 
of the wings twenty-eight inches. Of its habits nothing appears to be known. 
THE HARPY BAT. J 
The Harpy Bat ( Harpyia cephalotes ), is a remarkable species, having a short and rounded head, 
with the nostrils wide apart and somewhat tubular, and a very peculiar dentition, there being 
Epomophorus Whitii. 
f Hypsignathus monstrosus. 
J Harpyia cephalotes. 
