228 BULLETIN 51, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Geographic distribution. — Northern Africa and southern Europe 

 and Asia, including the Malay region. 



Number of forms. — Eight species are currently recognized. 

 Characters. — Dental formula : 



-2 3. 1.-2-456 7 .2-2 1-1 2-2 3-3 



1 2 3. 1. - 2 3 4 5 6 7 * 3^3' C l3T'^ m 3^3' 3^3 -*■ 



Upper incisors low and robust, subequal, the outer lower than 

 inner but with slightly greater cross section, each tooth simple, the 

 apex of inner rather slender and directed strongly inward, that of 

 outer broadly pointed and nearly erect, the teeth of each pair 

 strongly in contact, but outer incisor separated from canine by dis- 

 tinct space; lower incisors forming a rather strongly convex row, 

 their crowns trifid, the lobes of the first and second subequal, the 

 middle lobe of the third much the largest, the outer almost obsolete. 

 Canines slender, not peculiar in form, the upper with very slight 

 cingulum, the lower with cingulum well developed and forming an 

 indistinct anterior basal cusp. Premolars showing no special pecu- 

 liarities except that the anterior upper tooth (pm 2 ) is unusually large, 

 its shaft more than one-third as high as that of canine, to the base 

 of which its crown area is nearly equal ; lower premolars high and 

 slender, with subterete though slightly four-sided shafts. Molars 

 normal, though the outer section of the first and second upper teeth 

 is somewhat narrowed ; hj^pocone absent or barely indicated ; m 3 

 with metacone and three commissures well developed, its crown area 

 more than half that of m 1 or m 2 ; lower molars with all the cusps 

 present, rather high and slender. Skull with large, high brain case, 

 the anterior portion of which rises distinctly above occiput ; ros- 

 trum slender and small, though not specially reduced or peculiar in 

 form, its dorsal surface with a slight median longitudinal concavity 

 between orbits; sagittal crest low, but rather distinct, not sending 

 forward any branches to supraorbital region, which, with anterior 

 border of orbits, is smoothly rounded; palate slightly concave both 

 longitudinally and transversely, a noticeable foramen near its border 

 close to inner extremity of each posterior molar ; audital bulla? small, 

 covering slightly more than half surface of cochleae ; floor of braincase 

 forming no noticeable angle with plane of palate ; basisphenoid pits 

 indicated. Ear small, not peculiar in form; tragus high, slender, 

 slightly curved forward at tip. Second and third metacarpals about 

 .equal; third distinctly shorter. Second phalanx of third finger 

 nearly three times as long as first. 



Specie* examined. — Mhrhpterus sehreibersii (Bonaparte) and 31. 

 ne-irtoni (Bocage), 31. natalensis A. Smith, 31. fucas Bonhote, 3t. 

 manavi Thomas, 31. fraterculus Thomas, 31. dasythrix Thomas, 

 31. majori Thomas, 



