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Show 1900.J MAMMALS OF SIAM AND THE MALAY PENINSULA. 339 18.3.97. At Tahkamen, many Pteropi flying about in the moonlight. 19.3.97. At Tahkamen, at dusk see scores of Pteropi flying over the village wat (temple). 15.4.97. On the side of the Bangpakong River between Pachim and Patriew, see a tree covered with Pteropi, hanging up asleep ; it was black with them, the branches bending under their weight. 12.8.97. At Bangkok, about 7 P.M., large Fruit-Bats kept flying over the compound, some very high in the air, others just high enough to clear the trees and roofs of the buildings ; they wrere all going in the same direction, north-west. These may have been either of the two following species. 60. PTEROPUS MEDIUS Temm. The Indian Fruit-Bat or Flying- Fox. Pteropus medius, Blanf. Faun. Ind., Mamm. p. 257. Blanford says this species " is not recorded east or south of Burma," but 1 believe it occurs in Siam. In the Siamese Museum there are two stuffed Fruit-Bats, one labelled " Bangkok," apparently of this species ; and two that I shot on the Bangpakong River in March 1897 I should refer to this species; they were both males, length of forearm 152 mm. (or 6 inches), and the lower breast and abdomen were very dark brown. Unfortunately I did not keep their skins (owing to their very offensive smell, characteristic of these bats), for Mr. Oldfield Thomas writes to me (15.5.97), " I expect your Pteropus is not P. medius but P. vampyrus (P. edulis of Catalogue) I do not think P. medius reaches Siam." Distribution. India, Ceylon, and Burma, as far south as Amherst near Moulmein (O. Thomas, P. Z. S. 1886, p. 67); Siam (?). 61. PTEROPUS EDULIS Geoff. The Malay Flying-Fox. Pteropus edulis, Cantor, p. 16 ; Blanf. Faun. Ind., Mamm. p. 259. Pteropus vampirus, Ridley, Nat. Science, vi. 1895, p. 27. Cantor records this species from " Pinang, Singapore, Malayan Peninsula and Islands." Horsfield (Cat. Mamm. Mus. East-India Co. 1851, p. 27) mentions a specimen from Siam obtained by Finlayson. Dobson (Cat. Chir. B. M. p. 49) records specimens from " Isles of Kallam, Straits of Malacca." 0. Thomas (P. Z. S. 1886, p. 73) records specimens from Klang. Lieut. H. J- Kelsall, E A., in a list of Mammals from Johore. (J. S. B. R. A. S. no. 26, 1894, p. 16), says : "Pteropus edulis, Gray. 1 only saw a single specimen of this large fruit-bat, at Kuala fvabang. It is probably common." Ridley (J. S. B. R. A. S. no. 25, 1894, p. 58) gives this species as common at Pekan, Pahang; and as regards those at Singapore (Nat. Sci. vi. 1895, p. 27) says : " The large fruit-bats are abundant at certain times, appearing in vast numbers and taking up their abode in some chosen spot, remaining there for some two or three months and then scattering again and |
