THE ROUSSETTE BATS. 
To this place we are inclined to refer certain Bats from Western Africa, 
described by Messrs Bennett and Gray under tlie name of EroMorHoaos. 
29. PTEROPUS WHITII WHITE’S ROUSSETTE. 
Syn. Epomophorus Whitii. — Gray, in Mag. Zool. and Bot. II. 504. 
PlEROPOS Whitei Benn. in Trans. Zool. Soc. 
Icon. Pteropds Whitei. — B enn. in Trans. Zool. Soc. II. pi. 6. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
The Hair pale brown above, whitish beneath. 
An Odoriferous Gland on each side of the neck, covered by bunches 
of white hair — in the male only ? 
Inhabits Western Africa. 
At the first glance of White’s Roussette, the attention is arrested by a 
singular projecting patch of long white hairs placed on each side of the 
neck in front of the shoulders, and looking almost like a mass of white fea- 
thers. As we have no where seen this singular ornament of a consider- 
able number of Bats, so minutely described as by the late Mr Bennett, we 
shall here transcribe his words. “ The oval patch on either side of the 
neck, occupied by the white and peculiar tufts, measures about an inch 
in its longest diameter, which is from before backwards. Tlie skin in this 
part has no otlier covering than that which is peculiar to the spot itself. 
This consists of straight, soft hairs, which diverge in all directions as from 
a common centre. Those that are situated towards the middle of the patch 
are longer than the others, and are partly directed forwards and partly 
backwards, having generally a dorsal inclination : their length is twice as 
great as that of the longer hairs of the body. The mode of their insertion 
into the skin is unlike that of the ordinary fur : in the latter, the hairs are 
implanted either singly, or a few only near each other, so that tiie cover- 
ing of these becomes nearly uniform j in the patches on the sides of the 
neck, the hairs are gathered together into bundles, and are inserted in 
fascicles into the skin, leaving between tlie several minor tufts interspaces 
altogether naked. Each of the separate fascicles contains probably from 
fifty to sixty hairs t and the approximation ot these at their base, and their 
divergence towards their tips, might almost be regarded as bearing a distant 
analogical resemblance to the quill and dilatation of the feather of a Bird.” 
Considerable obscurity still hangs over the precise use of this apparatus. 
M. Temmiuck is of opinion, as already stated, that the diverging hairs 
cover a glandular structure which secretes an odorous substance, “ which 
may probably alford indication to these animals in the season of their 
amours;” and Mr Bennett suggests, that the secretion poured forth may 
serve to sheath and protect a projecting part of the animal from the friction 
to which it must be subjected during its passage through the air. 
The incisors are small and regular; the canines of intermediate size ; the 
first false molar in the lower jaw is small, and of the normal form, but the se- 
cond in this jaw, and the first in the upper, arc of the same forms as the ca- 
nines, and very little inferior totheni in size, so that when the mouth isopened 
there appear to be four canines in each jaw; next follows in either jaw a 
tooth with a large lobe upon the outer edge, and a small one within, which 
is of the intermediate form between the true and false molars ; after which 
come two normal molars in the lower and one in the upper jaw. 'The 
molars are separated from each other by a vacant space. 
The fur of the body is closely set and soft, and consists of slightly 
wavy hairs of moder.ate length. It extends along the anterior extremities 
nearly as far as the wrist, densely covering the limbs ; and is equally fur- 
nished on the hinder limbs as far as the ankle. The interfemoral mem- 
brane is entirely invested with fur. On the alar membrane there are a 
few hairs in small distant tufts. The colour is dark brown above, some- 
what lighter beneath. 
The only ascertained habitat of this species is Western Africa. 
30. PTEROPUS MACROCEPHALUS.— GREAT-HEADED 
ROUSSETTE. 
Spu Ei’OMOPhords MACROCEPHALUS — Gray, in Mag. Zool. and Bot. II. 504. 
PTEROPUS MACROCEITIALUS. — Ogilby, ill Pioc. Zool. Soc. III. 100. 
P. MEOACEPHA,LUS. — Swaiiison, in Lard. Cab. Cyc. LXXII. 92, 356. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
The Hair pale dull fawn above, paler beneath ; fascicled and diverging 
on the sides of the neck. 
Inhabits Western Africa. 
This Roussette has been procured in the same locality as the former, 
and possesses, it would appear, precisely the same dentition. These cir- 
cumstances would apparently indicate the necessity of distinguishing them 
as a separate group ; but we agree with Mr Bennett in thinking, “ that 
the dentary character of the Bats seems to vary so irregularly, that it would 
be hazardous to rely on them alone for generic distinctions.” 
1 1 
The Great-headed, like White’s Roussette, has tufts upon the neck, 
but so little conspicuous that they would be overlooked if the attention 
were not specially directed to the ascertaining their existence. The hairs 
of the sides of the neck, of a pale dull fawn colour, are generally slightly 
larger than the adjoining ones, and pass insensibly into those of the under 
surface, which resemble them in all respects except in being paler. On 
separating the fur so as to allow an inspection of its mode of insertion, a 
part will be found in which the hairs are implanted in bundles, and have 
a tendency to diverge as from a common centre. The coat above is ge- 
nerally of a deep fawn colour ; beneath paler ; and there is a conspicuous 
white spot on the bore of the ear. 
DOUBTFUL species. 
1. P. Gambianus, (Ogilby, in Proceed. Zool. Soc. III. 100,) from 
Western Africa, is said to have the head moderately long, and a tuft oi 
white hairs at the front base of the wing. 
Mr Ogilby describes the dental system of this species as precisely similar 
to that of Nos. 29 and 30 ; and it is upon this circumstance that Mr Gray 
forms these three species into his genus Epomophorus. We fear, how- 
ever, that this is a hasty classification ; and agree with Mr Bennett, that 
it is “ more advisable to abstain from regarding this genus as constituted.” 
IMAGINARY SPECIES. 
1. Pteropus Javanicus (Horsf. Zool. Jav.) does not differ specifically 
from P. edulis. 
2. P. palliatus (Geoff. Ann. Mus. XV. and Desm. Mam.) is the 
young of Cephalotes Peronii. 
3. P. MEDtus is identical with P. Edwardsii. 
Hoie — Pteropus minimus (Geoff. Ann. Mus.) is now transferred to 
the Genus Macroglossus ; Pteropus melanocephalus and P. titthmcheilus 
belong to the modern Genus Pachysoma. 
M. Isidore Geoffroy-St-Hilaire has given a monograph of this 
family in the Diet. Class. d’Hist. Nat., art. Roussette. He has 
foi'ined the genus Pachysoma with the Pteropus titthcecheilus of 
Temmiuck, and some allied species, on account of their having four 
molars less, while the zygomatic arches are more prominent than 
in the others. Of the Pteropus minimus or rostratus, he has com- 
posed the genus Macroglossus ; its muzzle is longer and more 
slender ; some vacant intervals appear between the molars, and its 
tongue is believed to be extensible. Finally, he has separated the 
Cei’halotes of Pallas from that of Peron, to the latter of which he 
has assigned the terra Hypodkrma, on account of the insertion of 
its merabianes and wings being wholly dorsal. 
GENUS H. PACHYSOMA.— STOUT-BODIED 
llOUSSETTES. 
Sijn. Pachysoma. — Isid. Geoff, in Diet. Class. XIV. 703. — Temm. Mon. 
Mam. II. 91. 
Pterofus, (in part.) — Temm. Moii. Mam. I. 198. 
GENERIC CHARACTERS. 
The Head spheroidal, large. The Muzzle large. The Zygomatic 
Arches prominent. 
The Thumb inserted for one half of its length in the membrane. 
The Mamma; placed before the arm-pit. 
The Dental Formula 1 '^ + ^+ (1^+? ) 
•2+<^+ (l’4-4) M 
=;-=30 
16 
This genus, instituted by M. Isid. Geoffroy, comprehends several species 
of a small size, which have hitherto been classed with tlie previous one, 
(Pteropus,) and from which they are distinguished by the following pecu- 
liarities : Their form is generally heavy and stout, — whence their name ; 
tlieir head is large and short, principally in front, necessarily leading to 
corresponding modifications in the dental system. In the Pachysoma, ac- 
cordingly, we find but 30 teeth, instead of 34, there being a molar less on 
each side of each jaw, and that the last, and not the second one, as miglit 
be supposed. Tile form of the cranium is also remarkable ; the muzzle 
is large, and the cerebral cavity very voluminous and spheroidal ; whilst 
between them there is a marked compression, though not equal to that 
found in the great Roussettes. The space between the cranium and 
the zygomatic arch is, however, much larger than in the ordinary Rous- 
settes ; and the muscles which go to tlie lower jaw are correspondingly 
large. Lastly, the mamma; are placed anterior to the insertion of the 
humerus. 
'fheir Imbits, moreover, are nocturnal, and they never issue from their 
