NYCTIJIENE. 



the I'idges of Nycthmne are coarser and more prominent, making 

 the palate rougher, more rasplike in appearance. 



E.vternul characters. — Mu/.zle sihort and unusually deep anteriorly : 

 centre of eye in the middle between base of ear and tip of muzzle, 

 depth from top of nasal tubes to inferior point of mandibular 

 symphysis equal to (in Ci/nopterus much less than) length of 

 muzzle from anterior canthus of eye. Inner side of upper and 

 lower lips fringed all round (in Cynopterus only from angle of mouth 

 to points opposite p' and p^) with several rows of large, densely 

 crowded odontoid papillae. Circuravallate papillae of tongue four 

 (in all other Megachiroptera three, in Microchiroptera two, Des- 

 modus excepted which has none), the posterior pair considi.'rably 

 smaller than the anterior. Nostrils modilied into two cylindrical 

 tubes arising close together from upper extremity of muzzle, and 

 from this point diverging outward and forward under a right angle 

 (fig. 63). Ears in the majority of species rather short and tri- 

 angularly rounded off at tip, in one (A', ci/clotis) so broad above as 



J^ 



Fig. 63. — Nyctimene sciiuliis (type of species), to shove nasal tubes. 



to be almost semicircularly rounded off, in one {N. rohinsoni) some- 

 what longer than usual and more acutely pointed ; antitragal lobe 

 small, triangular. Tail relatively longer than in other Megachiro- 

 ptera, except Notopteris, much longer than hind fool with claws, in 

 most species even equal to or only a little shorter than tibia, but 

 number of caudal vertebrae (seven, in one skeleton of N. c^'phalotes) 

 not greater than in Rousettus ample.vicandatas ; base of tail con- 

 nected with interfemoral by its dorsal integument, distal half or 

 two-thirds freely projecting. Interfemoral deep in centre, broad 

 along tibiae, emargination of posterior margin therefore narrower 

 than usual ; calcar well developed, about half the length of hind 

 foot with claws. 



Lateral membranes arising low down from sides of back, inserted 

 posteriorly on tirst ph;ilanx of second toe, on interdigital membrane 

 between second and third toe, or on first phalanx of third toe ; the 

 variations in this respect being to some extent individual. Vertical 

 fasciae of mesopatagium thin and crowded. Basal third of first 

 phalanx of pollex included iu membrane. Wings much longer than 

 in Cynopterus, both in the total length of the long digits and in 

 the proportions of their metacarpals and phalanges much more 



