1875.] MR. G. E. DOBSON ON THE GENUS TAPHOZOUS. 347 
toe shortest ; tail perforating the interfemoral membrane and appear- 
ing on its upper surface, capable of being partially withdrawn. 
Dentition.—Inc. =; C. SS; Pm. 3 M. = 
Premaxillaries cartilaginous, supporting a pair of small weak inci- 
sors often absent in adult animals; canines rather close together, 
much curved forwards, separated from the second premolar by a 
wide space in which the first minute premolar scarcely appears above 
the level of the gum; second upper premolar exceeding the molar in 
vertical extent; last molar consisting of a narrow transverse bony 
lamina; mesopterygoid fossa very narrow, the pterygoid plates ter- 
minating in long hamular processes ; immediately behind, the basi- 
sphenoid is deeply excavated on either side of a narrow longitudinal 
bony ridge which connects the roof of the mesopterygoid fossa with 
the basioccipital, the excavations forming corresponding elevations 
on the floor of the brain-case ; postorbital processes very long, con- 
nected by ligament with the zygoma, and thus completely circum- 
scribing the orbit. : 
Fig. 1. 
3 Taphozous longimanus. 2 
Most of the species of this genus have a peculiar glandular sac (see 
fig. 1) placed between the angles of the lower jaw—a sexual character ; 
for, while always more developed in males than in females, in some 
species while distinct in the male it is quite absent in the female. The 
width of the opening of the sac is nearly equal to half the distance 
between the angles of the jaw; and the direction of the opening is 
anterior. This open gular sac is quite absent in both sexes in 7’. 
melanopogon, but about its usual position the openings of small pores 
may be seen, the secretion exuding from which probably causes the 
hairs in this situation to grow very long, forming the black beard 
found in many male specimens of this species. 
In the greater number of species, also, a small band of integument 
passes from the inferior surface of the forearm near its distal extremity 
to the proximal extremity of the fifth metacarpal bone, forming a 
small pouch with the wing-membrane—the radio-metacarpal pouch. 
This genus is limited to the tropical and subtropical regions of the 
Eastern Hemisphere, in which it is widely distributed. The dis- 
tribution of the species is shown as follows :— 
Attricamangtits Aslands © beceal- a nal recsecetie coe 3 
North-eastern Africa and South-western Asia.. 1 
Asiatond: Malayana': pean, <deiainie tji<g yiel-'s 5 
Australia and New Guinea .............. 1 
