THE FAMILIES AND GENERA OF BATS. 
117 
spinous process, capitellum distinctly out of line with shaft; second 
manal digit with well-developed matacarpal and small, distinct 
phalanx; third finger with three completely bony phalanges; shoul- 
der girdle normal, the seventh cervical vertebra free from anterior 
dorsal; foot normal; fibula present, cartilaginous above, this carti- 
laginous portion usually beginning opposite a noticeable process on 
tibia considerably below proximal extremity; pelvis normal, except 
that elements of sacrum early disappear, the posterior Jialf forming 
a narrow, transversely flattened urostyle, and ischia are closely 
approximated posteriorly, occasionally fusing with extremity of 
urostyle; skull without postorbital processes; premaxillaries com- 
plete, fused with each other and with maxillaries, their palatal bran- 
ches isolating two lateral palatal foramina; teeth highly diverse in 
structure, those of different groups representing stages of develop- 
ment from the normal insectivorous type to the practical equivalent 
of the Pteropine form; tragus present, variously thickened and 
notched; a simple nose leaf generally present, through occasionally 
rudimentary or absent. 
Remarks . — The members of the family Phyllostomidse are recog- 
nizable by the presence of three completely bony phalanges in the 
third finger, the entire premaxillary, the slender, incomplete fibula, 
and the well-developed molar teeth. Though some of the genera lack 
cutaneous nasal outgrowths, those which have nose-leaves are the only 
American leaf-nosed bats, and these structures are never as highly 
developed as in some of the Old World families. This is the first 
family in which the humerus has a definite double articulation with 
scapula. In most of the genera the trochiter is applied to the scapula 
by an articular surface nearly one-third as large as glenoid fossa. 
This surface is, however, much smaller in the only skeleton of Chro- 
topterus that I have seen (Cat. No. 113852, U.S.N.M.), while in the 
three genera of Chilonyterinse it is absent. The humerus in this sub- 
family is also peculiar in its narrow, someAvhat oblique head, above 
the level of which the tubercles scarcely rise. In the other groups 
the head is nearly round, and is very distinctly exceeded in height 
by the tubercles. 
History . — Though originally associated with the Vespertilionidse, 
this family was recognized as a distinct group under the name 
Vampiridse by Bonaparte as early as 1838. As such it . has been 
almost universally regarded by subsequent authors, whose ideas are 
sufficiently presented in the synonymy. 
Principal subdivisions . — The members of the family show such 
marked diversity in structure, principally of the teeth, that it seems 
necessary to divide them into seven subfamilies. 
