slightly dilated exteriorly at their bases, but can scarcely be termed tuberculated. In height,
they equal the molar teeth. The inferior incisors are arranged in contact with each other in a
convex line, and are very short. They have obtuse, slightly two-lobed crowns, which expand
laterally beyond their roots. The upper canine teeth are conical, obscurely three-sided and
sharp pointed. They stand twice as high as the molar teeth. The inferior canine teeth are
of the same size with the superior ones, and have each a minute and rather obtuse lobe at
the base on the inner side. The molar teeth have high, sharp, pyramidal points.
The nostrils are two lines apart, turned a little outwards, and have a raised obtuse, naked
margin. There is a depression between the nostrils superiorly, but no furrow on the
margin of the lip, which is hoary within and without. The eyes are surrounded by fur,
but situated clear of the ear and its tragus. The ears are shorter than the head, nearly
circular, entirely covered with fur behind, except" a small lobe, which projects anteriorly,
and is overlapped by the tragus. On the inside there are some detached patches of hair.
The margins are entire, and the folds around the auditory opening have a resemblance to
those of the human ear. The tragus is scalene-triangular, fixed by one of its angles, and
is well characterised by Mr. Say as very obtuse at the tip, and arquated. It is thinly
hairy exteriorly. The margin of the mouth and the chin are black and hairy 3 and the
crown of the head and throat are yellowish-brown. The occiput, and the rest of the superior
parts, are covered with a long and very_ fine fur, which is blackish-brown at the base, then
shining yellowish-brown, followed by very dark umber-brown, and, lastly, tipped with white,
producing a hoary and almost silvery colour on the back. The fur of the .under parts is also
hoary, but has less lustre. The interfemoral membrane is triangular, and at its apex there is a
very slight smooth projection of the tail. It is hairy above; its fur, towards the middle, being
coloured like that of the back; but, near its margins, and particularly towards the apex, a
reddish-brown tint prevails. .The wing-membrane presents some small hairy'patches above
the elbow-joint, and at the roots of the metacarpal-bones. Underneath, it has a close coat of
yetlowish-brown fut on each side of the humerus; also a hairy patch beneath the brachial-
bone, and others beneath the metacarpal-bones at their origin. The first finger has one
joint; the second, three; and the others, two each. The thumb has one phalanx, which
is much longer than its metacarpal-bone, and is armed with a short but strongs curved, black
claw. The hind-feet are covered with hoary fur above, and have short, curved claws, which
are excavated underneath.
Dimensions.
Length of the head and body . 4 0 Space betwixt the upper canine teeth
Inches,
t o H
* tail . ■ » . 2 0 j, - lower canine teeth . 0 2*
Spread of the wrings , . . . 15 0 ears . , 0 7
Length of head r 1 1 Length of thumb and claw . . 0 6
Space betwixt the nostrils nearly . 0 2 Diameter of the ear, (every way,) about . 0 6
[2.] 2. V e s p e r t il io S u b u l a t u s . (Say.) Say’s Bat.
Vespertilio Subulatus. Say. Long's Exped. vol. 1i.-p. 65. (or vol. ii. p. 253, Eng. ed.)
-Subulate Bat. Godman. Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 71*
DESCRIPTION.
Dbntal formula, incisors canines grinders = 38.
The upper incisors are short, and are arranged in two distant pairs, each pair being
xlose to the canine tooth of the same side. Each tooth has a small interior pointed
lobe. The lower incisors are very .short, and have two obtuse lobes. The canine teeth are
a little longer than the grinders, nearly straight, subulate, and sharp pointed*. The two
anterior grinders on each side, both above and below, are small, short, conical, and sharp
pointed. The one adjoining to them, also simply conical, is higher than the three posterior
grinders of each side, which, in the lower jaw, have a double row of acute points;
and, in the upper jaw, a triple row ; the inner row of the latter being much lower than the
Outer ones.
The head is short, broad, and flat: the nose blunt, with a small, flat, naked muzzle. The
nostrils, situated at the two anterior corners of the muzzle, are small, roundish, naked, and
scarcely one line apart. The tip of the lower jaw is rounded, and naked. Eyes concealed
by the fur, and situated near the ears, but not covered by them. Ears about the length of the
■head, or a little longer, thin, membranous, ovate, obtuse; slightly undulated, but not notched
posteriorly, and curving forwards at the base ; slightly ventricose anteriorly, without folds.
The ear is hairy at the base behind, and there are a very few scattered hairs on its inner
surface. The tragus is thin, broadly subulate below, tapering to a point upwards, and ending
in a small obtuse tip ; it is attached by one corner at the base, is about two-thirds of the
height of the ear, and is not curved or falciform.
The back has a shining yellowish-brown colour ; the belly a yellowish-gray. The fur, soft
and fine, is longest on the back (three lines), and both above and below is blackish at the roots.
With the exception of the small naked space behind the nostrils, the head is covered with fur,
but a little shorter than that on the back ; towards the mouth it assumes a blackish colour;
it is rather coarser on the lips, and there are a few longer hairs or whiskers, but they are not
stiff nor very conspicuous.
The interfemoral membrane is broad, and tapers to a point along the tail, which it envelopes.
It is thinly clothed at the base with fur similar to that on the back in colour, but shorter. I t
is also fringed with a few scattered hairs on its posterior, free margin, which is not undulated.
The bifid point of one of the canine teeth in Mr. Say’s specimen seems to have been an accidental circumstance.