THE FAMILIES AND GENERA OF BATS. 93 



Characters. — Distinguished from the other sac-winged bats by the 

 great inflation of the rostrum (fig. 1G), which rises anteriorly much 

 above the extremities of the very slender, rudimentary premaxillaries 

 and posteriorly forms a deep median concavity. Wing sac at middle 

 of antebrachial membrane, its orifice directed inward and upward. 



Species examined. — Balantiopteryx plicata Peters and B. iufusca 

 Thomas. 



Genus TAPHOZOUS Geoffroy. 



1813. Taphozous Geoffroy, Descr. de l'Egypte, II, p. 113 (perforatus) . 



1842. Saecolaimus Lesson, Nouv. Tabl. Regn. Anim., Mamni., p. 19 (pub- 

 lished as a synonym of Taphozous, from Kuhl manuscript). 



1875. Taphonycteries DoBSON.Proc. Zool. Soc. London, p. 548 (subgenus for 

 Taphozous saecolaimus, T. afflnis, and T. peli). 



1878. Taphozous Dobson, Catal. Chiropt. Brit. Mus., p. 378. 



1878. Taphonpcteris Dobson, Catal. Chiropt. Brit. Mus., p. 379 (subgenus 

 for Taphozous saecolaimus, T. afflnis, and T. peli). 



Type-species. — Taphozus perforatus Geoffroy. 



Geographic distribution. — Africa (except northwestern portion), 

 southern Asia, and the East Indies east to Australia, New Guinea, 

 and the Philippine Islands. 



Number of forms. — Sixteen forms of Taphozous are now recog- 

 nized. 



Characters. — Dental formula : 



-2-. 1. -2-4567 . 1-1 1-1 2-2 3-3 



12-. 1. -2-45 67*2-2' c l-l' i???l 2-2' m 3-3 -30- 



Upper incisor in main axis of premaxillary very minute, often 

 absent in old individuals, its tip never attaining level of cingulum 

 cusp of canine. Lower incisors large, imbricated, trifid, forming a 

 continuous and strongly convex row between canines. Canines strong 

 and with well-developed posterior extension, especially in the max- 

 illary teeth. The cingulum of the upper canine develops two small 

 though distinct cusps, one anteriorly, the other posteriorly. In the 

 lower canine these are barely indicated. Cheek teeth showing no 

 special peculiarities except that the small upper premolar (pm 2 ), 

 though very low, jts crown scarcely or not reaching level of cingulum 

 of canine and large premolar, is unusually broad and is provided 

 with a distinct main cusp and a posterior cingulum cusp, occasion- 

 ally with an anterior cingulum cusp also. First and second upper 

 molars subquadrate in outline, the vy pattern rather shallow; no 

 distinct hypocones. Third upper molar with only two commissures, 

 the tooth terminating posteriorly at the mesostyle. The mandibular 

 cheek teeth call for no special comment. Skull (fig. 17) with 



