X AUTHORS PREFACE. 



Ill the Introduction to this volume (pp. xvii-ci) I have given a 

 summary of the general characters of the Megachiroptera, of the 

 jirincipal variations within the Suborder of the cranial, dental, and 

 external characters, of the mutual affinities of the genera, of the 

 geographical distribution of the genera, species, and subspecies, 

 and finally, a sj-nopsis of the more important differential characters 

 of the subfamilies and geuera, and an artificial " key " to the 

 genera. 



The illustrations (80 in number ; see list p. 835) are original, 

 with two exceptions (fig. 32, p. 4!)0, and fig. 51, p. 643), and 

 figures are given of the skull and dentition of all genera and 

 subgenera, except one (Chironax, p. 658). 



As this is the first Vertebrate Catalogue in which the register 

 numbers of the specimens have been published, it may he explained 

 that of the four successive items composing these numbers, the first 

 represents the year, the second the month, and the third the day 

 when registration took place, the fourth being the individual 

 number of the specimen ; e. (/., 98.7.6.5 means 189S, July, the 

 sixth, number five. 



The same symbols are employed as have been customary in tliis 

 series of Eritish Museum Catalogues. "[P.] "reads "Presented 

 by," " [C.]" equals " Collected by," and "[E.]" signifies "Iteceived 

 in Exchange." 



The printing of the Catalogue has taken place, at intervals, 

 between March, 19U8, and March, 1912, but the 'Addenda' 

 at the end of the volume carry the previously printed sheets up 

 to date. The actual date of publication of the volume is March 

 23rd, 1912. 



• Aclcnoiuledijments. — My thanks are due, above all, to Mr. Oldtield 

 Thomas, •without whose generous support I should not have been 

 able to devote practically the whole of my time, for several years, 

 to this work, 



I am also under special obligation to the Authorities of the 

 United States National Museum, through Mr. Gerrit S. Miller, Jr., 

 for the loan without limit of time of a considerable number of 

 specimens (including many jtaratypes), chiefly of the genera 



