454 PHTLLOSTOMIBJE. 



2. MORMOPS. 



Mormoops ', Leach, Transact. Idnn. Soc. xiii, p. 76 (1820-22) ; Gray, 



Mag. Zool. ^- Bot. ii. p. 491 (1838). 

 Mormops, Peters, Ahlmndl. Akad. Berl. 1856, p. 287. 



Crown of the head greatly elevated above the face-line ; ears close 

 together or united by prolongations from their inner margins on the 

 muzzle in front of the eyes ; tragus in general form like that of Chilo- 

 nycteris; nostrils at the extremity of the muzzle, directed down- 

 wards and forwards, not surrounded or margined by cutaneous ap- 

 pendages ; mandible projecting slightly in front beyond the upper 

 jaw ; the chin and sides of the lip with well-developed foliaceous cu- 

 taneous processes, continuous behind at the angle of the mouth with 

 the outer margins of the ears. 



Dentition. Inc. \, c. |^, pm. |^, m. |^. 



The upper middle incisors larger than the outer incisors, with 

 broad notched cutting-edges ; the lower incisors trifid, in cross sec- 

 tion oval, the long axis in the direction of the jaws ; second lower 

 premolars smaller than the first, but not minute, in the tooth-row. 

 Facial portion of the skuU bent upwards so that the palate is almost 

 at right angles to the base of the cranium ; this causes the skull to 

 appear greatly raised above the face-line, though the cerebral cavity 

 is probably not larger than in Chilonycteris. 



Range. Tropical parts of the Neotropical Region. 



This genus is closely connected with Chilonycteris, of which it 

 may be said to possess almost all the characters in an exaggerated 

 form. It contains two species, which, in their peculiar physiognomy, 

 are probably the most remarkable among the many strange forms 

 exhibited by the different species of this Order. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



a. Cutaneous band connecting the inner side 

 of the ear-conch with the upper surface 

 of the muzzle in front meeting the cor- 

 responding band of the opposite side be- 

 hind the nostrils, but not uiuted with it; 

 chin-leaf deeply divided; fur reddish 

 brown 1. M. megalophyUa, p. 455. 



h. Cutaneous band connecting the inner side 

 of the ear-conch with the muzzle united 

 in front with its fellow of the opposite 

 side; chin-leaf not divided; fur bright 

 orange 2. M. hlaintiillii, p. 456. 



* Aello, previously characterized by Leach, is undoubtedly a synonym of this 

 genus, as the type of Aello mtvieri shows ; but the definition of the genus is quite 

 incorrect, as the type specimen from which it was taken had lost all trace of the 

 cutaneous processes on the muzzle, and the number of the teeth is incorrectly 

 given. Therefore, although the name Aello has precedence of Mormoops, I re- 

 tain the latter, which was published at the .same time and has the advantage of 

 correct definition. 



