228 BULLETIN 57, 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- 4567 .2-2 1-1 2-2 no 3-3 „„ 
12 3. 1. - 234567*3-3’ C \-V pm 3-3 ,m 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 ; hypocone 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 bullse 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. 
Species examined. — Miniopterus schreibersii (Bonaparte) and M. 
ncwtoni (Bocage), M. natalensis A. Smith, M. fucas Bonhote, M. 
manavi Thomas, M. fratercidus Thomas, M. dasythrix Thomas, 
M. majori Thomas. 
