molossinæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A subfamily of bats of the family Emballonuridæ; the molossoid or bulldog bats: so called from the physiognomy, a peculiar expression being conferred by the thick pendulous chops, like a bulldog's. They have large feet, with the first toe, or first and also the fifth, much larger than the rest, the feet free from the wing-membranes, which fold under the forearm, a retractile interfemoral membrane sheathing and sliding along the tail, and a single pair of large upper incisors. In all the genera, excepting Mystacina, the long tail is produced far beyond the interfemoral membrane. Leading genera are Molossus. Chiromeles, and Mystacina.