260 
N.L. McKenzie, L. Fontanini, N.V. Lindus, M.R. Williams 
has three specimens from Koolan collected by 
W.H. Butler. One was caught in the "Japanese 
tunnels" (M19391, June 1965, adult male). The 
other two were taken from the "Acacia" 
exploration shaft at the "end of the island" 
(M10052-3, Nov. 1968, adult males) (W.H. 
Butler's unpublished field data). We found a 
pair roosting in a small, humid sandstone (Pky) 
cave overlooking the coast at 16°07T0"S, 
123°44'30"E (13 Feb. 1993) and another pair 
roosting in a similar site at 16°07'29"S, 
123°43'20"E (14 Feb. 1993). The first cave (1 m 
high x 3 m diameter) was under an exposed 
sheet of sandstone in savanna woodland on a 
gentle slope; the other was an upwardly angled 
fissure (0.7 m diameter) into a sheer cliff-face 
supporting hummock grass. Ficus and Calytrix. 
One adult male was captured from each pair 
(field numbers hsl and hs2). When one of the 
Koolan specimens was released at night with a 
bioluminescent tag, its flight was slow, 
fluttering and within 1 m of the ground. Until it 
reached the cover of dense understorey shrubs, 
the bat had considerable difficulty controlling 
its height and directionality in the windy 
conditions at the time of its release. The species' 
ultrasound was recorded both hand-held (inside 
the darkened house at night) and at the time of 
release (Table 4). Flight morphology 
measurements from these Koolan and Bathurst 
individuals are presented in Table 3. 
Hipposideros ater gilberti Johnson. Collected by W.H. 
Butler in the "Japanese tunnels" in June 1965 
(M19390). A dead specimen was found in May 
1990, and sent to the W.A. Museum by L.F. 
Rhinonicteris aurantius (Gray). A series of 7 males 
and 3 females was taken from their day-roost in 
the "Japanese tunnels" by W.H. Butler in June 
1965 (M7445, 7450-2, 19388-9). He captured 
another in November 1968 "... at water level, in 
shaft near loading jetty on south side of island 
..." (Ml0054). 
Emballonuridae 
Saccolaimus flaviventris (Peters). On 10 Feb. 1993, 
we recorded the ultrasound calls of this species 
as it foraged high over the woodland canopy at 
SI (Figure 1; Table 4). The calls of this species 
are audible. In June 1982, one of the authors 
(N.McK.) collected a specimen (M23038) over a 
beach on Gibbings Island, just 19 km to the west 
of Koolan. 
Taphozous georgianus Thomas. One was collected in 
the Koolan townsite in November 1961 (M4897). 
On 10 Feb. 1993, we recorded the ultrasound 
calls of this species as it foraged high over the 
woodland canopy at site SI (Figure 1). On 14 
Feb. 1993, we found two colonies of more than 
10 individuals in their day roosts in caves on 
the northern face of the ridge at the old rubbish 
tip (16°07’40"S, 123°44'40''E); the three females 
discerned each had one young clinging to its 
underside. Additional ultrasound recordings 
were made in the caves. 
Vespertilionidae 
Nyctophilus arnhemensis Johnson. An adult male 
(M34448) was collected on Koolan in June 1990 
by L.F. We netted another adult male (field 
number na3, 11 February 1993) at night in the 
mangrove low forest south of town (mainly 
Sonneratia alba, Camptostemon schultzii, Ceriops 
tagal, Avicennia marina and Rhizophora stylosa). It 
was later released with a bioluminescent tag, 
and flew away between the trees at shrub 
height, with frequent changes in direction. 
Ultra-sound was recorded both hand-held and 
as it flew off (Table 4). Flight morphology 
measurements are presented in Table 3. 
Chalinolobus gouldii (Gray). Ultrasound calls 
referrable to this species were recorded from 
bats flying at canopy height along the road 
through savanna woodland at SI (Figure 1) on 
10 February 1993. The C. gouldii ultrasound data 
used for the identification were recorded at 
Barred Creek near Broome (Table 4). 
Chalinolobus nigrogriseus (Gould). A male was 
collected by W.H. Butler in November 1968 
(M10055). We netted an adult male (field 
number 92/1) over a water tank west of town 
on the night of 9 February 1993. The 
surrounding vegetation was savanna woodland. 
Its ultrasound was recorded at night inside the 
dark house (Table 4). On 10 February 1993, we 
recorded the ultrasound calls of this species 
(Table 4) as it foraged around and under the 
tree canopies in savanna woodland at SI 
(Figure 1). Flight morphology measurements are 
presented in Table 3. 
Vespadalus caurinus (Thomas). First collected on 
Koolan in October 1963 by I. Crawford (M6012). 
This bat is common in the island's small caves, 
drains and culverts. On 10 February 1993, we 
captured five in their dayroost in a drain under 
the road at 16 o 08'00”S, 123°44'45"E: one adult 
male, one sub-adult and three females. One of 
the females was carrying two naked young, 
while a second was pregnant with twins. Three 
others were captured (with Hipposideros stenotis) 
at their day-roost in the cave at 16°07'10"S, 
123°44'30"E (13 Feb. 1993). Three were 
subsequently released at night with 
bioluminescent tags, and their ultrasound 
recorded (Table 4). We recorded ultrasounds 
typical of this species around a house in the 
townsite on the night of 12 February 1993, and 
