Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon Part 15

_GENUS SCOTOPHILUS_.

Muzzle short, bluntly conical, devoid of hair; ears longer than broad; tail shorter than the head and body; wing membrane attached to the base of the toes.

Dent.i.tion: Inc., 1--1/6; can., 1--1/1--1; premolars, 1--1/2--2; molars 3--3/3--3.

Jerdon's formula gives upper incisors 4.

NO. 92. SCOTOPHILUS FULIGINOSUS.

_The Smoky Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 40_).

HABITAT.--Central Nepal.

DESCRIPTION (_apud_ Hodgson).--"Feet very small, included in the wing membrane nearly to the end of the toes; ears acutely pointed, shorter than the head; muzzle groved, nudish; face sharp; rostrum somewhat recurved; wholly sooty brown; a little smaller than _Vesp.

formosa_."

I cannot find this bat mentioned by any other author, and Jerdon says it does not seem to be recognised.

NO. 93. SCOTOPHILUS TEMMINCKII.

_Syn_.--NYCTICEJUS TEMMINCKII (_Jerdon_).

HABITAT.--India generally; Burmah and Ceylon.

[Figure: _Scotophilus Temminckii_.]

DESCRIPTION.--Ears short, rounded and narrow; tragus narrow, curved and pointed inwards; muzzle thick, blunt and conical; the fur varies, sometimes dark olive brown, fulvous beneath, and occasionally chestnut, with a paler shade of yellow below.

SIZE.--Four and a-half inches, of which the tail is 1-1/2; expanse, 13.

A very common species, appearing early in the evening. Horsfield says of it that it collects by hundreds in hollow trees, and feeds chiefly on white ants.

NO. 94. SCOTOPHILUS HEATHII.

HABITAT.--India and Ceylon (Rajanpore, Punjab).

DESCRIPTION.--Similar to the above, but longer in all its measurements (_Dobson_). Judging from drawings, the head and muzzle of this are more in a line than in the last species, the ears project forward, and are also larger, the tragus especially, and there is a greater width between the ears.

SIZE.--Five inches, of which the tail is 2.

NO. 95. SCOTOPHILUS EMARGINATUS.

HABITAT.--India; precise locality unknown.

DESCRIPTION.--Head broad and flat; muzzle obtuse and thick; ears long and large, with rounded tips turning outwards; tragus short; thumb long with a strong claw; wing membrane quite devoid of hair, except on the interfemoral membrane, which is half covered; fur tricolored, first dark chestnut, buff, and then yellowish brown.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-1/10 inches; tail, 2 inches.

NO. 96. SCOTOPHILUS ORNATUS.

_Syn_.--NYCTICEJUS ORNATUS.

HABITAT.--India and Burmah.

DESCRIPTION.--Head broad; muzzle short; ears triangular, erect, with rounded tips, and broadly rounded lobe at the base; tragus narrow, semi-lunate, curved towards the front; fur a light Isabelline brown, spotted with white; a white spot on the centre of the forehead, and from the back of the head down the spine for two-thirds of its length a narrow white streak; on each side of the body two white patches; a broad white collar, or rather demi-collar, from one ear spot to the other, pa.s.sing under the throat. Dr. Dobson says the position of these patches is very constant, but the size varies, being greatest in individuals of a pale rusty red colour, and these he found always to be males.

SIZE.--Head and body, 3 inches; tail, 2 inches; expanse, 15.

NO. 97. SCOTOPHILUS PALLIDUS.

HABITAT.--Mian Mir, Lah.o.r.e.

DESCRIPTION.--Head and muzzle as in _S. Temminckii_; ears slightly shorter than the head; internal basal lobe convex, evenly rounded; tip broadly rounded off; tragus moderately long and rounded at the tip; a prominent triangular lobe at base. Wing membrane from base of toes; lobule at the heel very narrow and long; last rudimentary caudal vertebra free; fur of the body, wings, and interfemoral membrane pale buff throughout.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2 inches; tail, 1.4 inch.

NOCTULINIA NOCTULA.

(See _ante: Vesperugo noctula--Jerdon's No. 41_.)

NYCTICEJUS HEATHII.

_Large Yellow Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 42_).

(See _ante: Scotophilus Heathii_.)

NYCTICEJUS LUTEUS.

_The Bengal Yellow Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 43_).

NYCTICEJUS TEMMINCKII.

_The Common Yellow Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 44_).

Both the above (Nos. 43 and 44) are, according to Dr. Dobson, synonymous with _Scotophilus Temminckii_, which see.

NYCTICEJUS CASTANEUS.

_The Chestnut Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 45_).

This is also a variety of _Scotophilus Temminckii_.

NYCTICEJUS ATRATUS.

_The Sombre Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 46_).

(See _ante: Vesperugo atratus_.)