OCR Text |
Show 708 MR. G. E. DOBSON ON THE MOLOSSI. [Nov. /, the humerus to the middle of the femur, the remainder of the membrane nearly naked ; a few fine hairs appear behind the distal half of the forearm on the upper surface, and clothe the proximal third of the fifth metacarpal bone; beneath, the wings are quite naked, except along the sides of the body. Upper incisors long, the centres of their inner sides close together, their bases and summits separated; lower middle incisors slender, with grooved crowns ; outer incisors very small, between the middle incisors and the canines, and not grooved. First upper premolar large, close to the canine, with a large anterior and internal basal cusp, and a smaller cusp posterior and external. Lower canine on each side with a small internal basal cusp, which nearly touches its fellow of the opposite side. |# Length (of an adult 6*): head and b o d>7 2 '3 ; tai1 * *2; free from membrane 0"*4 ; head 0"*85 ; ear 0"*6, tragus 0"*15x 0"*1 ; forearm 1"*85; thumb 0"*25; second finger-metacarp. 1"*35, 1st ph. 0"*6, 2nd ph. 0"*65; third finger-metacarp. 1"*25, 1st ph. 0"*5, 2nd ph. 0"*2 ; fourth finger-metacarp. 0"*S5, 1st ph. 0"*4, 2nd ph. 0"*15 ; tibia 0"*4 ; foot and claws 0"*3. Hab. Brazil (Buenos Ayres, Barra do Rio Negro) ; British Guiana (Berbice). The next species is probably identical with Myopterus daubentonu, Geoffroy (Descr. de l'Egypte, ii. p. 113), with which it agrees very closely in the length of its skull, the only remnant of the type of that species, which therefore cannot be accurately determined. Of this skull Prof. Peters ( M B . Akad. Berl. 1869, p. 402) has given the following measurements :-" length 0"*85 ; width across zygomatic arches 0"*5 ; length of upper tooth-row (not including incisors) 0"*32 ; length of lower tooth-row 0"*35." 3. MOLOSSUS BRACHYMELES. Molossus (Molossops) brachymeles, Peters, Monatsb. Akad. Berlin, 1865, p. 575. Appears to differ from the preceding species only in being conspicuously larger, in the different colouring of the fur of the under surface, and in its slightly different distribution. Fur above dark brown, the base of the hairs paler; beneath reddish brown. The antebrachial membrane is covered with a small patch of fur along the forearm, and the wing-membrane between the metacarpal bones of the last two fingers and the forearm. Beneath, the fur of the body extends upon the wing-membrane along the sides of the body only ; the remaining parts are quite naked. Total length 4"*0; head 0"*9 ; ear 0"*6 ; forearm 1"*7 ; middle finger 3"*4; tibia 0"*5; foot 0"*46. Hab. Peru. The above is taken from Prof. Peters's description of the only specimen known, a stuffed skin, preserved in the Neuchatel Museum. |