Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon Part 14

HABITAT.--Darjeeling.

DESCRIPTION.--Head broad; muzzle obtuse; upper l.a.b.i.al glands largely developed; ears large, oval, with rounded tips, which in the natural position of the ears appear acute, owing to the longitudinal folding of the outer side of the conch on the inner, commencing at and almost bisecting the tip (_Dobson_). Fur long, dense and black; Jerdon says rich dark brown; paler beneath.

SIZE.--Head and body, 1.9 inch; tail, 1.8 inch.

NO. 84. VESPERUGO TICKELLI.

HABITAT.--Chyba.s.sa, Jashpur, and Sirguja.

DESCRIPTION.--Head broad and flat; l.a.b.i.al glands developed; ears moderate, rounded above; outer edge straight, emarginate opposite base of tragus, terminating in a small lobe; tragus lunate; tail long; last vertebra free. The face is more clad with fur than in other species of this genus; fur of the body pale, straw brown above, pale buff beneath. For a fuller description and ill.u.s.tration, see Dobson's Monograph.

SIZE.--Head and body, 1.65 inch; tail, 2 inches.

NO. 85. VESPERUGO PACHYPUS.

HABITAT.--Darjeeling, Tena.s.serim, and Andaman Islands.

DESCRIPTION.--Crown of head very flat; ears short, triangular, with broadly rounded tips, tragus short; under surface of the base of the thumb and soles of the feet with broad fleshy pads; wings rather short; fur fine and dense, above reddish brown, paler beneath.

SIZE.--Head and body, 1.75 inch; tail 1 inch.

NO. 86. VESPERUGO ANNECTANS.

HABITAT.--Naga Hills and a.s.sam.

DESCRIPTION.--Muzzle sharper; face hairy; ears pointed; tragus long; colour dark brown; ill.u.s.tration in Dobson's Monograph.

SIZE.--About 2 inches; tail, 1.6 inch.

Unites the appearance of a _Vespertilio_ to the dent.i.tion of _Vesperugo_.

NO. 87. VESPERUGO DORMERI.

HABITAT.--Southern India and Bellary Hills.

DESCRIPTION.--Head flat; ears shorter, triangular, with rounded tips; tragus with a small triangular lobe near base of outer margin; fur brown, with ashy tips above, darker brown below, with the terminal third of the hairs white. Dent.i.tion approaches the next genus, there being only one pair of unicuspidate upper incisors placed, one by each upper canine.

NO. 88. (VESPERUGO) SCOTOPHILUS SEROTINUS.

_Syn_.--VESPERUGO SEROTINUS.

_The Silky Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 35_).

HABITAT.--Europe, but extending through Asia to the Himalayas, Beluchistan and Kashmir.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears shorter than head, widely separate, ovate, angular, projecting forward, terminating in a convex; lobe ending on a level with the corner of the mouth; tragus twice the length of its breadth, semi-cordate; fur deep bay or chestnut brown; above fulvous, grey beneath; hairs of back long and silky, but the colour of the fur varies considerably.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-1/2 inches; tail, 2; wing expanse, 13.

This is a rare bat in India, though Captain Hutton has procured it at Mussoorie. In England it is not uncommon even near London; it flies steadily and rather slow, and is found in ruins, roofs of churches, and sometimes old hollow trees.

NO. 89. (VESPERUGO) SCOTOPHILUS LEISLERI.

_Syn_.--VESPERUGO LEISLERI.

_The Hairy-armed Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 36_).

HABITAT.--Himalayas.

[Figure: _Vesperugo Leisleri_.]

DESCRIPTION.--Ears short, oval, triangular; tragus short, rounded at tip; membrane attached to base of outer toe; all toes short; membrane over the arms very hairy, some cross-lines of hair on the interfemoral membrane; fur long, deep fuscous brown at base, chestnut at the tip; beneath greyish brown.--_Jerdon_.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-1/4 inches; tail, 3-3/4; expanse, 11-1/2.

SCOTOPHILUS PACHYOMUS.

(_Jerdon's No. 37._)

Synonymous with his No. 35; see Dobson's Monograph.

NO. 90. (VESPERUGO) SCOTOPHILUS COROMANDELIa.n.u.s.

_Syn_.--VESPERUGO ABRAMUS; VESPERTILIO COROMANDELICUS.

_The Coromandel Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 38_).

HABITAT.--India generally, Burmah and Ceylon.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears triangular, rather large; outer margin straight or slightly concave; tragus lunate; feet small; wing membrane attached to the base of the toes; fur short, above dingy brown, the hairs tipped with a lighter tinge, paler beneath.

SIZE.--2-1/2 inches, including tail, which is about 1-1/8; wing expanse, 7-1/2.

This is a very common little bat, akin to the English Pipistrelle, and is found everywhere in roofs, hollow bamboos, &c.

NO. 91. (VESPERUGO) SCOTOPHILUS LOBATUS.

_Syn_.--VESPERUGO KUHLII.

_The Lobe-eared Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 39_).

HABITAT.--India generally.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears small, triangular; the base of the margin very convex forward; a triangular lobule above the base of the outer margin; tragus short and uniform in width; a short muzzle; wings from the base of the toes; feet small; calcaneum long; tip of tail free; fur blackish yellow above, ashy beneath.

SIZE.--Two and a-half inches, of which the tail is 1-1/4; expanse 7-2/3. Jerdon, quoting Tomes, states that this is the same as _V.

Abramus_, but that is the synonym of the last species.