XXXVl PLASTIC CHARACTEKS. 



proportionate length of the metacarpals : third longest, fourth 

 intermediate, fifth shortest ; indices in Eom/cieris 675, 656, 608, in 

 Megaloglossus 760, 716, 670. In all other Macroghsstnce these three 

 metacarpals are either practically subequal in length (Alacror/lossvs 

 and Sycom/cferis, both closely interrelated), or the fifth is distinctly 

 the longest [Melonycteris, Nesonyeteris, Notopteris, all closely inter- 

 related) ; examples, Macrocjlossus 726, 733, 740, Nesonyeteris 760, 

 755, 798. 



Phalanges of iJiird, fourth, and fifth fingers. — The second (ter- 

 minal) phalanx of the third finger is always much longer than the 

 first phalanx, but nearly always (for exceptions see below) decidedly 

 shorter than the metacarpal of the same finger ; the two phalanges 

 of the fourth finger are subequal, but with a very distinct tendency 

 of the terminal phalanx to be the longer ; the two phalanges of the 

 tlfth are subequal, the terminal phalanx being sometimes rather 

 longer, but more often a little shorter than the proximal. In some 

 forms, however, a conspicuous lengthening has taken place of the 

 terminal phalanx of the third finger, making it subequal to or 

 longer than its metacarpal ; this is the casein Eidolon, Slenonycteris 

 (subgenus of liousettus), Boneia, Pleropus, Acerodon, Dohsonia, and 

 Plerotes, and the three closely interrelated Macroglossine genera, 

 Melonycteris, Nesonyeteris, and Notopteris. 



Subjoined is given in tabular form the absolute minima and 

 maxima of the indices of the metacarpals and phalanges of the three 

 long fingers, and for comparison the actual indices of one of tho 

 shortest-winged (Rousettus) and one of the longest-winged (^Neso- 

 vycteris) Fruit-bats. 



Total length of fingers. — The third finger is always by far the 

 longest of all ; next in length comes the fourth, averaging about 

 four-fifths of the third ; then the fifth, averaging about eleven- 

 twelfths of the fourth, in rare cases (Epomops, and a few 

 Cj^nopterine genera) very nearly equal to, but never longer than, 

 the fourth ; the second finger is as a rule somewhat more than 

 one-third of the third ; the first one-half of the second, or a little 

 more. The length of the hand is of course determined by the 

 length of its longest finger, and to give a rough idea of tho varia- 

 tions in the length of the hand as compared with the forearm the 

 genera of Fruit-bats are arranged below according to the " index " 



