140 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [June 
hypothesis whether its existence were less completely aerial than that oi 
other bats. Up to the present, however, its rarity has prevented any 
life-history studies, and this interesting speculation remains still only a 
probability. It is of great importance that an attempt should be made 
to keep alive any future specimens which may come to light. 
Examples of the short-tailed bat so far recorded have been taken in 
widely separated localities, and indicate a distribution throughout both 
Islands. There is no reason to believe that it congregates in large colonies 
after the manner of the long-tailed species. 
The photographs (fig. 1), very kindly taken by Mr. E. B. Levy, are 
believed to be the first good illustrations to be published of this extremelv 
Fig. 1.—The short-tailed bat (Mystacops tuberculatus Gray). 
