PTERODACTYL (Gr. wing-finger), a remarkable genus of fossil lizards, peculiar to the secondary strata. Its anomalous structure was long a puzzle to comparative anatomists. Blnmenhach considered it a palmipede, or web-footed bird; while its original describer. •olIini, and other more eminent naturalists, referred it to the mammalia, finding its near est ally in the bat. The careful investigations of Cnvier. however, showed that the pterodactyl was a true lizard, but possessed of the power of flight, which it performed, not by a membrane stretched over its ribs, like the living dragons, but more as in the bats, except that the wing was attached, not to several, but only to a single finger—the fifth—the others being free and short. Time bones of the fifth finger were very greatly elongated, and the last joint terminated in a long, slender, unguarded apex; the terminal joints in the other fingers were furnished with strong claws. Mantel] thus graphically describes the genus: " With a long-snouted head and long neck much resembling that of a bird, bat-like wings, and a small trunk and tail, with lacertian affinities in its skull, teeth, and skeleton, and with a bird like structure of sternum and scapular arch, these creatures present an anomaly of structure as unlike their fossil contemporaries as the duck-billed ornithorhynclms of Australia to liVing mammals. The cranium is small: time jaws are long, and either armed with numerous, sharp-pointed teeth, or toothless, like those of a bird. The eye-orbit is very large: the sclerotica consists of a-ring of bony plates, and the nostrils are placed near the orbits. The cervical vertehm are large and strong, and capable of great flexibility backward and forward, probably to allow the head to fall back to the center of gravity during flight. The dorsal vertebrae are from 17 to 20 in number. The sacrum is formed by the coalescence of two vertebrae only. as in existing reptiles, and not of. many, as in birds and certain extinct saurians. Time tail is generally short, an unusual character with saurians; but a species with a long tail occurs at Solenhofen. There are five toes or digits on each foot ; the outer linger of the forearm is immensely elongated for the support of a membranous expan sion (the impression of which is preserved in some instances); and the other digits of fore and hind feet terminated in long curved claws. The size and form of the extremi ties show that the pterodactyl was capable of perching on trees, of hanging against per pendicular surfaces, and of standing firmly on the ground, when, with its wings folded, it might crawl on all-fours, or hop like ft bird." The famous quarry of lithographic stone at Solenhofen, of upper oolite age, has supplied a great variety of these flying lizards; but the largest species have been found in the secondary beds of this In the upper grcensand, at Cambridge, the remains of a species that must have had a spread of wing of 25 ft. across have been found; and in the Reatish chalk another has been met with very little short of this in its dimensions. The various species as much in structure as in form, so that the original genus has been lately raised to the position of an order, under the name of PTEROSAURIA, and the species have been arranged under the following genera, characterized principally by the structure of the jaw and teeth: pterodactylus, in which the jaws are furnished with long slender teeth along their whole length; ramphorhynchus, with the extremities of the jaws smooth, probably furnished when living with it horny bill, and toward the bases of the jaws hav ing four or five -strong teeth; and dimorphodoa, with large strong teeth in front, and small shorter ones behind. Nearly 30 species have altogether been described.
PTEROPIDiE, a family of bats belonging to the section frugivora. They are com monly bats, from the resemblance of the head to that of the fox. The ears are simple and of moderate size, and the nose is destitute of any appendages, as in many other bats. Both jaws are armed with cutting incisors, and although their principal food is fruit, they also cat insects, as well as small birds and mammals. The molars arc not cuspidate, but are furnished with blunt tubercular crowns. The tail is very short, some times absent. The index and pollen (thumb) are generally armed with claws. The pteropidte are among the largest of bats; the pteropus edulis, or kalong, sometimes measur ing ft. from tip to tip of wing. They are principally found in Java, Sumatra, and Borneo; also in Asia, Australia, and Africa. They are not found in America. Accord ing to Dr. Horsefield, the kalong is very abundant in the lower parts of Java, and uniformly lives in society. Numerous individuals select a large tree for their resort. and suspending themselves with the claws of their posterior extremities to the branches, often in companies of several hundreds, present a curious sight. A species of ficus (cnout ehoue) is a favorite retreat, and sometimes the branches are covered with them. They pass the greater portion of the day in sleep, motionless, ranged side by side with the head downward, the membrane folded and drawn about the body, and would be mistaken by a stranger for a part of the tree, or some kind of suspended fruit. In con sequence of the sharpness of their claws their attachment is so strong that they cannot readily leave their hold without the assistance of the expanded membrane: and if shot while hanging. they continue suspended after death. Soon after sunset they pursue their nocturnal flight in search of food. They are very destructive to the gardens, delicate fruits, such as mangoes, jambus, lansas, etc., being devoured by them with great vorac ity, and it requires much care and perseverance in saving fruit. The flight of the kalong is slow and steady, pursued in a straight line, and capable of long continuance.
hunting tinting of these bats sometimes affords amusement to the inhabitants during moon light nights, which in Java are very serene. There are several genera and species. The species just described, pteropus edulis, is sometimes named P. Javanicus. A species with tails is P. stramineus, with reddish-yellow fur; expansion' of wing, 2 feet. Brought from Timor and Peron by Lesueur. One genus, cepludotes, has a conical head, short ears, very short tail. Dental formula, i, „ „ c, „ 1-1 • m, 5-5 = 32. In C. peronii the 9 wings spring from the middle of the back. Another genus, harpya, found in the cas, is about the same size, with grayish fur. Another genus, macroglossa (F. Olivier), resembles pteropus. Its character depends on the extreme length of the head, the absence of false molars, the great development of the posterior molar, and the extensile 1—_ •tongue. Dental formula, 2—„--,,-2 c, ; m, = 34. Epomophorus of Gray, ptoro Z..—.Z 1-1 U-11 pus epomophoras of Bennett, pale brown back, belly white; total length, 6 to 7 in.; length of head, 2-} in.; expansion of wing, 12 inches.