THE HAMMER-HEADED BAT.[158]
A species presenting so grotesque an appearance that it might almost have served as the original of one of Callot’s demons (see [next page]), was discovered some years ago in Western Africa, by M. Du Chaillu, and described by Dr. Allen, of Philadelphia. It is allied to Epomophorus, but differs from all other Pteropine Bats in the extraordinary size and shape of the head, which has a hammer-like appearance, owing to the muzzle being enormously developed and cut off abruptly in front, and the whole of this part of the animal is garnished with curious fleshy lobes, which give it a most singular aspect. The length of the head and body is about twelve inches, and the expanse of the wings twenty-eight inches. Of its habits nothing appears to be known.
HAMMER-HEADED BAT.
From the Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 1870.
THE HARPY BAT.[159]
The Harpy Bat (Harpyia cephalotes), is a remarkable species, having a short and rounded head, with the nostrils wide apart and somewhat tubular, and a very peculiar dentition, there being only two incisor teeth in the upper jaw, and none in the lower, while the upper jaw has only four and the lower one six molars. This Bat, the Molucca Bat of Pennant and Shaw, inhabits the islands of Celebes and Amboyna. It is nearly four inches in length, and has an expanse of wing of about fourteen inches.
Mr. Dobson has recently described a second species of Harpy from Duke of York Island, near New Guinea, which may be called the Greater Harpy Bat (Harpyia major). It is much larger than the above species, and is especially remarkable for the great length of the nasal tubes. The general colour of the fur is pale buff.
THE CLOAKED FRUIT BAT.[160]
This is another very curious Bat which inhabits Amboyna, but is also met with in Timor and Banda. It differs from all the preceding forms by wanting the claw at the extremity of the first finger, and is further remarkable by having the wing-membranes springing from the middle line of the back, so as to form a complete mantle for the animal. In the form of the head, this Bat resembles the true Pteropi, but the dentition approaches that of Harpyia, the incisors being usually two in each jaw, and the lower ones sometimes deficient, and the molars four and six in the upper and lower jaws respectively. This Bat is about six inches long, with an expanse of wing of rather more than two feet. The colour of the fur in adult animals is generally olive-grey, often with a brownish tinge, and the wing-membranes are light brown and translucent. The tail is short, and about half enclosed in the interfemoral membrane.