PROSIMI&. 



783 



SUB-ORDER MEGACHIROPTERA. 



SUB-ORDER MICROCHIROPTERA. 



Frugivorous bats, usually large. 



The molars have smooth crowns, 



with a longitudinal groove. 

 The thumb is clawed, and generally 



also the second digit. 

 The tail, if present, is below, not 

 bound up with the interfemoral 

 membrane. 

 The pyloric part of the stomach is 



in most cases much elongated. 

 Found in warm and tropical parts 



of the eastern hemisphere. 

 Examples. 



The "flying-foxes" or fox-bats 

 (Pteropus), large, tailless bats, 

 distributed from Madagascar 

 to India, Ceylon, Malaya, 

 S. Japan, Australia, Poly- 

 nesia. The largest species 

 (P. edulis) measures 5 ft. 

 across its spread wings. Den- 



tition,^. 

 2133 



In India, Cynopterus marginatus 

 is very common. Xantharpyia 

 cegyptiaca inhabits the Pyra- 

 mids. 



Usually insectivorous bats, small 



in size. 

 The molars have cusped crowns, 



with transverse grooves. 

 In the hand the thumb only is 



clawed. 



The tail, if present, is bound up 

 with the interfemoral membrane, 

 or lies along its upper surface. 

 Except in one family, the stomach 



is simple. 



Found in the tropical and temper- 

 ate regions of both hemispheres. 

 Examples. 



The horseshoe-bats (Rhinolo- 

 phus] ; the common pipistrelle 

 ( Vesperugo pipistrellus] ; the 

 genus Vesperlilio, with four 

 British species ; Vampyrus 

 spectrum, a large Brazilian 

 form, which seems to have been 

 erroneously credited with 

 blood - sucking habits ; the 

 common vampire (Desmodus 

 rufus], an American bat a 

 formidable blood-sucker. 



Order PROSIMI^E (Syn. LEMUROIDEA, Lemurs) 



These monkey-like animals are sometimes ranked with 

 monkeys as a sub-order of Primates ; but there seems more 

 warrant for placing them in a separate order. They agree 

 with monkeys in many respects, e.g. in having pollex and 

 hallux opposable, flattened digits, pectoral mammae (except 

 in Chiromys\ and a " Simian fissure "in the brain. They 

 differ from monkeys (Anthropoidea) in the following 

 points : The cranial cavity is usually elongated, and the 

 face more fox-like than monkey-like ; the orbit opens freely 

 into the temporal fossa (except in Tarsius] ; the lachrymal 

 foramen lies in front of the orbit; the first pair of upper 

 incisors is separated in the middle line (except in Tarsius} ; 

 the second digit of the foot always bears a pointed claw, 

 but the others usually have flat nails; the cerebral hemi- 



