74 



STC'OXTCTEKIS. 



bv touch as a small knob ; membrane? inserted on fourth or 

 ttfth toe (end of metatarsal or base of first phalanx), or between 

 fourth and fifth too, rarely between third and fourth (these varia- 

 tions are individual, cf. p. 776) ; vertical fasciae of raesopatagiura 

 varyin!? individual!}- between 7 and 11; wing-indices (upper row 

 in table below, based on thirty adult individuals representing all 

 forms known ; in lower row those of Macroglossiis for comparison) 

 almost unmodified, third, fourth, and fifth metacarpals subequal, 

 but with a faint tendency of the fourth to be the shortest ; upper 

 half of forearm and nearly the whole of tibia densely clothed above; 

 colour of fur as in Macrof/Iossus ; no external secondary sexual 

 characters (males mthout neck-tufts, as in Macroglossus). 



llange. — Amboina group, Xew Guinea and neighbouring islands, 

 south to Queensland, i. e. the Austro-Malayan subregion with (so 

 far as known at present) the exception of the extreme west 

 (Celebes), north-west (Gilolo group), and east (Solomon Islands), 

 and extending across its southern boundar}- into the north-east 

 corner of Australia. The known range of the species and sub- 

 species is shown in the table below. 



Cheek-teeth elongate, 

 lu'-' and ni3 present. 



Cheek-teeth linear, 

 m^ and ni. 



present. 



Amboina group 



New Guinea 



Aru Islands 



Key Islands 



Bismarck Archipelago... 



Trobriand Islands 



D'Entrecasteaux Islands 



Queensland 



Woodlark Island 



c. major 

 c. papuana 

 c. papuana 

 c. keyensis 

 c. finschi 

 c. crassa 

 c. crassa 



australis 



absent. 



Hahits. — Unknown . 



Affinities. — The almost complete resemblance of Si/co)>i/cteris to 

 Macroglossus in the skull, palate-ridges, and all external characters 

 except the narrow interfemoral and (consequently) rudimentary 

 calcar. is evidence of the close relationship between the two genera. 

 The claim of S>/con'jcteris to stand as a distinct genus rests entirely 



