Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum

Dobson, George Edward, 1878, Rhinolophus, Catalogue of the Chiroptera in the collection of the British Museum, London: British Museum, pp. 100-122 : 119-120

21. Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum .

Vespertilio ferrum-equinum, Schreb. Sciugeth. i. p. 174 (1775); Erxleb. Syst. Reg. Anim. p. 154 (1777); Gm. Lin. p. 50 (1788).

Rhinolophus unihastatus, Geoffroy , Ann. du Muséum, xx. p. 257.

Rhinolophus geof froyi, Smith , Zool. Journ. iv. p. 433.

Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum, Leach , Zool. Misceli, iii. p. 2; Jenyns, Brit. Verteb. p. 9; Bell, British Quadrup. p. 68 (wdct.) (1837); Blasius, Fauna Deutsch, p. 3 (1857); Peters, MB. Ahad. Beri. 1871, p. 310; Dobson, P. A. S. B. 1872, p. 208; Monogr. Asiat. Chiropt. p. 53 (1876).

Rhinolophus nippon, Temm. Monogr. Mammal , ii. p. 30 a (1835-41).

Rhinolophus tragatus, Hodgson, J. A. S. B. iv. p. 699.

Rhinolophus fumigatus, Rüppell , Mus. Senckenberg, iii. p. 132 {vide Peters, l. c. 1871, p. 311); Peters, C. c. der Decken Reis, in Africa, Säugeth. pl. 2. fig. 3.

Rhinolophus deckend, Peters , MB. Akad. Beri. 1867, p. 705.

Ears slightly shorter than the head, very acutely pointed and attenuated towards the tip, the outer margin of the ear-conch deeply concave in its upper third, the inner margin slightly concave in its upper fourth; antitragus not much developed, separated posteriorly by a shallow obtuse-angled notch. Nose-leaf rather small, the horseshoe-shaped portion not concealing the sides of the muzzle; vertical process of the sella narrow, concave on the sides, roundedoff above, the s um m it as broad as the base, narrowest in the centre, exceeded considerably in height behind by the superior margin of the posterior connecting-process, which, viewed laterally, is obtusely conical, and is clothed with a few fine straight hairs; triangular ter ­ minal portion of the posterior leaf emarginate on the sides towards the apex, forming a narrow acutely pointed process (Plate VII. fig. 10). Wings from the ankles; interfemoral membrane slightly triangular behind; tip of the tail free; calcanea well developed.

Fur, above, reddish brown with a greyish tinge; beneath pale grey, almost white.

Second upper premolar close to the canine; first premolar minute and quite external to the tooth-row; second lower premolar not discernible in some specimens, in others always detected with difficulty, even with the aid of a lens, lying in the outer angle between the closely approximated first and third premolars.

Length, head and body 2"-35, tail " -55, head 1", ear 0"-9, nose ­ leaf 0".6 X 0''-35, forearm 2'',25, thumb 0''.32; third finger—meta ­ carp. 1"'55, 1st ph. 0''-75, 2nd ph. " -35; fourth finger—metacarp. 1"'6,1st ph. 0",45, 2nd ph. 0',-8; fifth finger—metacarp. " ’65, 1st ph. 0"-55, 2nd ph. 0"-7; tibia 0"-9, foot 0''-55.

Hab. Europe, Africa, Asia. In Europe extending as far north as Southern England, and the Harz Mountains in Germany; in Africa probably generally distributed; in Asia found in the Himalaya and in Japan. It has therefore by far the widest distribution of any species of the genus. In tropical countries it appears to be more or less confined to the elevated tablelands.

Rh. ferrum-equinum is easily distinguished by the peculiarly attenuated and very acutely pointed extremities of the ears, by the form of the erect process of the sella, which is slightly expanded above and beneath, and by the position of the first upper pre ­ molar outside the tooth-row. The length of the ear varies slightly.

a. ♂ ad., al. Tübingen. Dr. Günther [P.].

b. ♀ ad., al. Turin.

c. d. ♂ ad., al. Sicily. Purchased.

e. ad. sk. Europe. Leyden Museum.

f, g. ad. sks. Syria.

ìi, i. ♀ ad., al. Lake of Galilee. Canon Tristram fC.j.

j-l. ♀ ad., al. Euphrates valley. Col. Chesney [O.J.

m-o. ♂ & ♀ ad., al. Nipal. B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.].

p. ♀ ad., al. Darjiling,India.

q. ad. sk. India. Capt. Boys.

r. s. ♀ ad., al. Shanghai. R. Swinhoe, Esq. [P.].

t. ad. sk. Japan.

u. ♀ ad., al. Gaboon. Purchased.

V. ♂ ad., al. Port Natal. Rev. H. Callaway [P.].

w. ♂ imm., al. King William’ s Town. Lieut. Trevelyan [P.].

X. ad. sk. Cape of Good Hope.

y. ♀ ad., al. Haslar Collection.

z. ♂ ad., al. No history.

a', b'. ad., sk.

c'-p'. skulls. Nipal. B. H. Hodgson, Esq. [P.j.

(Labelled Rhinolophus tragatus, Hodgs. )

q'. skull of o.

r'. skull of a'.