Molossus nasutus Spix, Simiarum et Vespertilionum. Braziliensium species novæ. Nyctinomus Braziliensis.—Geoffroy, Annales des Sciences Naturelles, tom. i. p. 337. pl. 22.
Of this species I find three specimens in Mr. Darwin’s collection—“It is remarkable,” says Mr. Darwin, “for its wide geographical range. I obtained specimens at Maldonado, on the northern bank of the Plata, where it was exceedingly numerous in the attics of old houses, and likewise at Valparaiso in Chile. Molina (vol. i. p. 301.) says another species is found in Chile, of the same size and figure, but of a more orange (naranjado) colour.”
Upon comparing the dimensions of several specimens of this species with those given by Temminck in his “Monographie sur le Genre Molosse,” I find that they vary very considerably; I shall therefore be adding some little to the history of the species, by giving the dimensions of those now before me, together with the sexes of the specimens measured, and their localities. In all these specimens there is a series of pointed tubercles along the upper margin of the ears, a character which M. Temminck has omitted to notice. They vary slightly in the intensity of their colouring, but among those brought from Chile I do not perceive any agreeing with that species, or variety, mentioned by Molina as approaching to an orange colour. All the specimens whose dimensions are here given, are preserved in spirit. Two of them are from Maldonado brought by Mr. Darwin; three were collected in Hayti by Mr. J. Hearne, and one is from Chile, whence it was brought by Mr. H. Cuming.
| From Chile. | Hayti. | Hayti. | Hayti. | Maldonado. | Maldonado. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ♀ | ♀ | ♂ | ♂ | ♀ | ♀ | ||||||||
| In. | Lines. | In. | Lines. | In. | Lines. | In. | Lines. | In. | Lines. | In. | Lines. | ||
| Length | of head and body | 2 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0½ | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| of tail | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| of free portion of ditto | 0 | 6½ | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6½ | 0 | 5⅓ | 0 | 8¾ | 0 | 8½ | |
| Expanse | of wings | 10 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| Length | of antibrachium | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6½ | 1 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| of ears | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4½ | 0 | 4¾ | 0 | 4½ | 0 | 5⅛ | 0 | 5½ | |
| Width | of ditto | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Length | from nose to eye | 0 | 3½ | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3¾ | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3½ | 0 | 3½ |
In all the specimens examined by me, there are two incisors in the upper jaw, and four in the lower, they would therefore, according to M. Temminck, be adult.
Family—CARNIVORA.
1. Canis Antarcticus.
Plate IV.
Antarctic Wolf, Pennant, History of Quadrupeds, vol. i. p. 257. sp. 165.
Canis Antarcticus, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. i. pt. 2. p. 331.
——, Desm. Mamm. p. 199.