Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley.
| www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Murray
1948
Leptonycteris
June 7 Cerro del Elote, 101/7, 23°12'N, 110°09'W, Baja Calif.
looked in a cave washed out of the granite
cliffs close to the seashore (see journal
for description). There were about 8 or 10
bats, originally in a shallow crevice at the
rear. When disturbed became immediately
active, part flying out and the rest
remaining inside. They circled around
and tried to hang safely on the ceiling.
Dr. Benson shot 2 there and he and Tevis
each netted 1. The several which went
out flew over and around the high
cliffs which extended above the cave
mouth. They would often hang momentarily
on a rock and then move on, usually
going quite directly from point to point.
The flight was graceful and swallow-like
and they frequently soared for short
distance.
We were shown this cave by Jose Maria
Castellano of Rancho Gueparina. He said
positively that he had seen these bats eat
the fruits of pitahaya and cardon at night
resting on the plant or fruit. Furthermore,
he claimed that they ate green leaves.