ORDER OE CHEIROPTERA. 
529 
across the wings twenty-one inches. The smallest is the Tricuspid 
Ehinolophus, which measures eight inches. 
Europe possesses two species, which are proper to it ; these are 
the Lesser Horse-shoe Ehinolophus, or Bifer, whose pelage is of a 
fine lustrous colour, and which measures about ten inches ; and 
the Great Horse-shoe Ehinolophus, or ITnifer, eighteen inches 
across the wings. Both are common to France. 
Genus Megadermes . — The Megadermes have the nose surmounted 
by a very ample and very complicated leaf. The ears are large, 
and their interfemoral membrane is highly developed ; they 
have no tail. They are found exclusively in Africa and Asia. 
Of the four or five species known, the most important are the 
Leaf-nosed Megadermes, which inhabits Madagascar, and the 
Lyre Megadermes, found in Senegal. The latter measures four- 
teen inches across the wings. 
Beside the Megadermes are ranged the Ehinopomes, which 
are distinguished by a smaller nasal leaf, and a long thin tail. 
They inhabit Egypt and Bengal. 
Family of Pteropina.— -The P ter opus (Fig. 230), commonly 
called Eoussette by the French, because of it being generally of a 
red or brown colour, and Kalony, or Flying Fox, by the English, is 
the largest of the Cheiroptera. There are some which attain the 
size of a Squirrel, and measure no less than four feet across the 
wings. In the majority of the species the interfemoral membrane 
is rudimentary, as is also the tail ; some are even without a vestige 
of the latter appendage. 
The dominant characteristic of the Pteropus is to be found in 
its dentition, and in its regimen : the molar teeth have a flat, or 
simply tuberculous crown, consequently it feeds on fruits. The 
face is totally destitute of nasal leaves, and the ears are but 
slightly developed. The animals belonging to this family exclu- 
sively inhabit Africa, Asia, and the Oceanic Islands, particularly 
the latter region. There are also innumerable quantities in 
Polynesia, Malaysia, Australia, and Yan Dieman’s Land; but 
none are found in Europe or America. 
The Kalony s are not the redoubtable animals represented by 
early travellers, who had the privilege of becoming first acquainted 
with them. These explorers allowed themselves to be imposed 
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