Object Status:
Unlocated
Accession Date:
By 1796
Primary Source Reference:
Dunlap's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia), 23 Jan 1792 | A Scientific and Descriptive Catalogue of Peale's Museum (Philadelphia, 1796), pp. 12-14
Additional Source Text:
In his "Walk through the Phil[adelphi]a Museum" (1805-1806), Peale writes of his Malagasy bats: "Those large Bats come from Madagascar, they measure 4 feet from tip to tip of their wings, by some called the Fox bat, because the head is somewhat like that Animal, but Rousette is the proper name & the smaller one, Rougette."
Notes:
The Malagasy flying fox (Pteropus rufus) is the largest bat in and endemic to Madagascar and has a wingspan of 100–125 cm (39–49 in).
This specimen, donated in 1792, was described as "A Madagascar Batt, measuring across the wings extended 3 feet 4 inches" in Dunlap's American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia), 23 Jan 1792.
The Museum recorded receiving other Madagascar bats:
-- "A Madagascar Bat, which measures across its wings 3 feet 5 inches"; Independent Gazetteer (Philadelphia), 28 May 1791, from Dr. Matthews
-- A "Large Madagascar Bat" on 10 Dec 1817 from Mrs. Dougherty, "the Widow of Capt. Dougherty" (Peale Museum Accessions Book, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, p. 89)
Specimen Type:
Dead/preserved
Peale's Common Name:
Madagascar Bat
Current Common Name:
Malagasy flying fox
Current Scientific Name
Pteropus rufus
