794 NOTOPTERIS. 



centre, second phalanx of third digit longer than metacarpal of 

 same digit. Forearm ot' (?)-6S-o mm. [Two species. Nab. 

 Western Polynesia.] 



JS'otopteris is the only long-tailed Fruit-bat ; the only Fruit-bat 

 which has lost both p' and p, ; and the only one with the tibia 

 equal to or more than half tbe length of the forearm ; each of 

 these characters, taken by itself, is therefore absolutely diagnostic. 

 The same may be said of each of the following combinations : — 

 (1) "Back" (('. e. the notopatagium covering the back) naked in 

 centre, forearm less than 72 mm. ; (i!j index without claw, cheek- 

 teeth g ; (3) tongue Macroglossine, cheek-teeth * ; (4) infraorbital 

 canal long, cheek-teeth .; (5) infraorbital canal long, premaxillse 

 ankylosed together inferiorly ; (H) premaxill* much broader above 

 than below and ankylosed together inferiorly. The a.&\x\t Notopter is, 

 without i\ is the only Fruit-bat with 26 teeth. The only other 

 genus of Fruit-bats extending to Polynesia is Pl&ropus. 



Skull (fig. 77). — General shape as in Meloaycteris and Neso- 

 ni/cteris, but premaxillae more proclivous in lower halves, therefore 

 more projecting in front of canines, and solidly united inferiorly, 

 rostrum tliiuner and rather more compressed laterally, orbits a 

 little smaller proportionately, sagittal crest more strongly developed, 

 angular process of mandible much smaller, and extremity of 

 mandible (its toothless portion between the single pair of lower 

 incisors) much more projecting and unusually broad. Other 

 characters as in Melom/cteris and Nesonycteris (upper halves of 

 premaxillaB very broad, infraorbital canal long). 



( i^ ^ i^ c n^ n^ m^ m*^ 



Dentition (fig. 77).— ^-A ^~^ x2 = 28 (or, in adult 



'^2^ I'a P4 "'i ™2 '^a 

 individiials, owing to deciduousness of i', as a rule 26). Dental 



formula differing from that of Xesonyderis by absence of p^ and p^*. 



i' rudimentary, not piercing gum, present in immature individuals, 

 as a rule absent in adults (trace of the alveolus sometimes detect- 

 able); i^ as in Melonycteris and Nesonycteris. i^ absent; i^, small 

 and styliform (as in Nesonycteris), and situated close to canine, the 

 mandible projecting considerably in front of it. Upper and lower 

 canines essentially as in Melonycteris and Nesonycteris (anterior 

 and posterior groove of upper canine distinct, those on external 

 and internal face of tooth much less so and sometimes obsolescent), 

 p' and p, absent ; other cheek-teeth similar to those of Melo- 

 nycteris and Nesonycteris, but longer antero-posteriorlj- (the increase 

 in length proportionately greatest in p^, which is the lai'gest lower 

 cheek-tooth) ; p^ and Pj closely behind canines and separated by a 

 relatively wide diastema from p'' and p^ ; m^ and m^ a little smaller 

 than m' and m,. 



Palate-ridges (fig. 77). — Number as in Melonycteris (fig. 75, 

 p. 786) and arrangement essentially the same, except ^for the 



* The missing oheek-teeth in this genus are (as pointed out by Herluf Winge, 

 /. c.) wit.hout doubt the anterior premolar above and below, not (as usuallj 

 stated: see Dobson and Miller, U. cc.) m- and m,. » ' ' 



