Lawrence (1945:389) named _Pteropus austini_ as a new species closely related to _P. woodfordi_ and other species of the _P. scapulatus_ group of Andersen (1912:402) and Tate (1942:336). Sanborn and Beecher (1947:389), studied a series of _P. woodfordi_ from Banika and Guadalcanal and found that skulls of two subadults agreed well with cranial characteristics ascribed to _P. austini_, which was based on two subadults. Lawrence (1945:61) stated also that "the interfemoral membrane is entirely absent medially in _austini_, while in _woodfordi_ it is present as a barely discernible ridge 8 mm. wide." Andersen (1912:408) had earlier reported that in the type of _woodfordi_ the interfemoral membrane was "undeveloped in [the] centre." In 13 adults (in alcohol) studied by Sanborn and Beecher (1947:389), as well as in adults examined by me, the uropatagium is not present. In size, however, these specimens agree with dimensions given for _woodfordi_ by Thomas (1888_a_:156) and Andersen (1912:410); for example, length of forearm is 93-99. According to Lawrence (1945:59) _austini_, in which the interfemoral membrane is lacking, is smaller than _woodfordi_ and has a forearm of about 84. In two juveniles of _P. woodfordi_ in the U. S. National Museum, the medially-developed interfemoral membrane is about 7 wide. One specimen has small but distinct calcars whereas the other (slightly larger) apparently lacks calcars. This suggests individual variation in the presence or absence, as well as in the size, of the uropatagium in _Pteropus woodfordi_. Sanborn and Beecher (1947:389) decided that "until fully adult specimens showing the characters of _austini_ are available, it best be considered a synonym of _woodfordi_." For the following reasons I agree with these authors: (1) _austini_ is known from only two specimens, both of which are apparently subadults; (2) _austini_ is reported to have a forearm 84 long and no interfemoral membrane, whereas _woodfordi_ has a forearm about 96 long and an interfemoral membrane that is only slightly developed; (3) specimens that agree in size and cranial characters with the type of _woodfordi_ but that lack an interfemoral membrane have been obtained; and (4) skulls of subadults of _woodfordi_ agree with the description of skulls of _austini_. Sanborn (1931:19) reported that specimens of _Pteropus woodfordi_ were obtained at night, while feeding on young green coconuts. Lawrence (1945:62) reported that in the late afternoon a collector found individuals of _austini_ [= _woodfordi_] in the fronds of a coconut tree, apparently feeding on pollen shoots. Sanborn and Beecher (1947:388) have reported malaria (_Plasmodium_) in _P. woodfordi_ obtained on Guadalcanal. They suggested that malaria might have rendered one individual helpless because when it was found, on the ground, no wounds were evident and parasites were present in the blood.