PTEROPUS LEACHII.
hair. Thumb armed with a strong claw, the small claw of first finger directly
in front of the distal end of the first phalanx of second finger. Wing membranes
thin, and posterior to fore-arm veined from before backwards ; towards
body two of the veins are larger than the re st; one begins near to axilla, and
terminates before it reaches the hinder edge of the wing,its course obliquely outwards
and backwards ; the other commences a little in front of base of hinder
leg, and extends outwards and backwards to within about three lines of the
margin of the wing. The interfemoral membrane edges the coccyx and
inner side of the hinder extremities as far as the tarsus ; it is deeply emar-
ginate—the emargination of the figure of the letter V reversed. At the tarsus
it is about half an inch in width, and the latter increases a little as the angle
it forms with the portion of the opposite side is neared. Tail rather more than
half an inch in length, the last half free and projecting beyond the interfemoral
membrane. Toes rather strong, all of equal length, and armed with
strong curved claws.
DIMENSIONS.
In. Lines.
Length from nose to base of tail.......... 5 3
Length of head ..................................... 1 9
antibrachium....................... 3 2
ta il............................................. 0 8
Expanse of wings..................................... i s 0
Distance between thorax and thumb
when wings are extended .................. 4 0
Length of thumb, including claw....... 0 9
] st joint of forefinger......... 1
1st joint of second finger ... 2 1
1st joint of third finger..... 2 0
1st joint of fourth finger ... 1 l l
F e m a l e .— As regards colours, the two sexes are nearly alike.
During the season when the grapes are ripening and ripe, specimens o f this Bat are
easily obtained in Cape Town and its vicinity; at other periods they are less readily procured.
Though it is not restricted to Cape Town and its neighbourhood, it occurs nowhere else in the
same abundance. One or two specimens have occasionally been procured far in the interior ;
and I was told when at Latakoo, that a large Bat was often seen about the garden in the
fruit season, which, from the description given, I am inclined to believe is, if not the common
Cape species, at least a Pteropus.
Though I heard much while at the Cape of the large species (Pteropus Hottentotus,
Tem.) I never, during my residence there, was so fortunate as to obtain a specimen.