CHIROPTEEA, 329 



thumb (fig. 699). The other fingers have two phalanges, and are 

 without claws. The dentition has four or two incisors, which often 

 fall out, one canine, and four or six grinders with flat, bluntly- 

 tuberculated crowns. The praemaxillae are loosely united with one 

 another, and with the maxillae. The tongue is beset with a number 

 of backwardly-directed, horny spines. They inhabit the forests of 

 the hot regions of Africa, East India, and Australia. Many of them 

 are eaten on account of their well-flavoured flesh. 



Fam. Pteropidae (Flying Foxes). The small ears and the nose are without 

 the cutaneous appendages and valves. Pteropus edulis Geoff., Kalong, East 

 2 1 2 



Indies. Dentition : - - ^ 

 1 1 o 



Harpyia ceplialotes Pall., Amboina. 



Sub-order 2. Insectivora (Insect-eating Bats). The snout is 

 short; the ears are large, and frequently 

 covered with valves. Grinding teeth sharply 

 tuberculated or cutting, and composed of 

 three-sided pyramids. The thumb alone 

 bears a claw. Some of them live on insects ; 

 some on the blood of warm-blooded animals. 



Tribe 1. Gymnorhina. The nose 

 smooth, and without foliaceous appendages. 

 The pramaxillae are firmly ankylosed witl. 

 the maxillae. The ears sometimes meet one 

 another on the top of the head, and are FIG 700 _ Hea " d of Pkyllostoma 

 sometimes widely separate ; the valves of (Vampyrus) spectrum (regne 



animal) 



the ears vary considerably. 



Fam. Vespertilionidae. The long and slender tail is entirely included in 

 the interfemoral membrane. Plecotus auritus L., Long-eared Bat ; Synotus 

 barbastellus Schreb., the Barbastelle ; Vespertilio murinus Schreb. Dentition : 



| i ? I ?. Vesperugo noctula Schreb. ; V. pipistrellus Schreb. 

 813(3 



Fam. Taphozoidae. Tail shorter than the interfemoral membrane. The base 

 of the thumb is within the patagium. Tapliozous leucopterus Temm., South 

 Africa ; Mystacina turberculata Gray, New Zealand. 



Tribe 2. Phyllorhina. Cutaneous appendages are spread on and 

 over the nose. They consist of a horseshoe-shaped anterior leaf 

 (ferrum equinum), a medium saddle (setta), and a posterior, usually 

 vertical lancet-shaped leaf (lancet) (fig. 700). The praemaxillas are 

 not ankylosed with the maxillae, Ears separated. Feed partly on the 

 blood of warm-blooded Vertebrates, which they attack while sleeping. 



