Page:The mammals of Australia Gould vol 3.djvu/169

 Gray.

Gould's Bat.

Scotophilus Gouldii, Gray in Grey's Journ. of Discoveries in Australia, App. vol. ii. p. 405.—Ib. List of Mamm. in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 30.

fine species of Bat is very generally dispersed over New South Wales, and, I believe, South Australia; but, as yet, I have only seen examples from the districts of the former country lying between the mountain ranges and the sea, where it frequents the outskirts of the brushes and the wooded borders of the great rivers. It may be readily distinguished by the upper half of the body being black, while the lower is suffused with brown; and by the hairs of the latter hue on the under surface being lengthened, and extending on to the arms and wing-membranes. It appears, however, to be subject to considerable variation in colour, some being parti-coloured as described, while in others the black predominates; others again, from Flinders' Range in South Australia, have the brown tint reaching nearly to the nape on the upper surface and to the chest on the under surface. I have some specimens also from this locality with a good deal of brown on the chin and throat. I was for some time inclined to consider the Flinders' Range specimens to be distinct; but, on submitting them to the inspection of Mr. Tomes, who has paid the most minute attention to this group of animals, that gentleman states that he considers them to be identical, and that the mere variation in colour, unaccompanied by a difference in structure, is not sufficient to warrant their separation.

The anterior half of the body, both above and beneath, is sooty-black; the posterior half of the upper surface brown; sides and abdomen brownish fawn-colour; wing-membranes purplish-brown.

The figures are of the natural size.