THE FAMILIES AND GENERA OF BATS. 
93 
Characters. — Distinguished from the other sac-winged bats by the 
great inflation of the rostrum (fig. 16), 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 . — B alantiopteryx plicata Peters and B. infusca 
Thomas. 
Genus TAPHOZOUS Geoffroy. 
1813. Taphozous Geoffroy, Descr. de l'Egypte, II, p. 113 (perforatus) . 
1842. Saccolaimus Lesson, Nouv. Tabl. Regn. An ini., Mamin., p. 19 (pub- 
lished as a synonym of Taphozous, from Kuhl manuscript). 
1875. T aphony cteries Dobson, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, p. 548 (subgenus for 
Taphozous saccolaimus, T. afflnis, and T. peli) . 
1878. Taphozous Dobson, Catal. Chiropt. Brit. Mus., p. 378. 
1878. Taphonycteris Dobson, Catal. Cliiropt. Brit. Mus., p. 379 (subgenus 
for Taphozous saccolaimus, T. affinis, 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 vers now recog- 
nized. 
Characters. — Dental formula: 
-2-. 1. - 2-4 5 6 7 .1- 1 1-1 2-2 3-3 
1 2 -. 1. -2-4 5 6 7 ^ 2 - 2’ c 1 - V-V m 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, its 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 w 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 
