ZOOLOGY OF SIND 



CLASS, MAMMALIA. 



ORDEH— CHIROPTERA. 



Volant mammals, with thoracic postaxillary mammge, a simple or 

 two-horned uterus, and smooth cerebral hemispheres not extending 

 backwards over the cerebellum. Forelimbs specially modified for 

 flight. The forearm consists of a rudimentary ulna, a long curved 

 radius and a carpus of six bones supporting a thumb and four greatly 

 elongated fingers, between which, the sides of the body and the hinder 

 extremities, a thin expansion of the integument {the wing memhrane) 

 is spread out. The knee is directed backwards, owing to the rotation 

 of the hind limb outwards by the wing membrane, a peculiar elongated 

 cartilaginous process {the calcaneum) rarely rudimentary or absent, 

 arising from the inner side of the ankle joint, is directed inwards, and 

 supports part of the posterior margin of an accessory membrane of 

 flight, extending from the tail or posterior extremity of the body to the 

 hinder limbs {the interfemoral memhrane). The dental series consists 

 of four kinds of teeth — incisors, canines, premolars, and molars ; and 

 the dental formula never exceeds 



4 1 \ 3 3 3 3 



Inc. g, "^ fIZi' P'^' 3=1:3^ ™- 3II3 = 38 teeth. {Bohson.) 



SUB-OHDEE, I.— MEGACHIROPTERA. 



Crowns of the molar teeth smooth, marked with a longitudinal 

 furrow ; palate bony, continued behind the last molar, narrowing 

 slowly backwards. Second finger generally terminating in a claw. 

 Sides of the ear-conch forming a complete ring at the base. Pyloric 

 extremity of the stomach elongated. Frugivorous. 



Family, PTEROPODID^. 



Characters same as those of the sub-order. 



Pteropus, Briss. Quadriqy. p. 153; Oeqff. Ann. du Mus. xv. p. 90; 

 Dohson, Monog. As. Chir. p. 15; Cat. Chir. Br. Mus. p. 15 (1878). 



Muzzle long, narrow, and cylindrical ; nostrils projecting, the ex- 

 tremity of the muzzle deeply emarginate. Upper lip with a verti- 

 cal groove in front, bounded laterally by rounded, naked prominences ; 

 index or second finger with a distinct claw; metacarpal bone 



z 1 



