THE FLIGHT OF THE COLUGO. 149 



THE FLYING LEMURS. 



The family Galeopithecid.-e contains only one genus, which again 

 contains oniy two species. For a long time the COLUGO, Galcopithecus 

 volans, I Plate V; was placed among the Lemuroidea. Its food seems to 

 be entirely vegetable, and its flying membrane shows some relationship 

 to the Cheiroptera. Its dental formation settles its place among the In- 

 sectivora, but the fact that the young are bom very small, blind and naked, 

 and are closely attached to the wrinkled skin of the mother, indicates 

 some affinity to the Marsupialia. This animal indeed seems to be a 

 lateral offshoot of some low form which has survived during the process 

 of development of the Insectivora, Lemuroidea and Marsupialia from an 

 ancestral type. 



The Flying Lemur is as large as a cat, with a slender body and 

 limbs of moderate length. Attached to the extremities of these limbs is 

 a membrane which envelops the animal from the neck to the extremity 

 of the tail, and which permits it to sustain itself in the air. The fingers 

 of all the feet have retractile claws and the thumbs are not opposable. 

 The head is small, the muzzle prominent, the eyes moderately large, the 

 hairy ears small. The membrane between the limbs is merely a para- 

 chute. When the Colugo desires to make a leap it spreads its limbs 

 so that the membrane may present as large a surface as possible. The 

 membrane is not used as a wing, and the Colugo cannot rise. At every 

 leap the spot it aims at must be lower than that from which it starts ; 

 hence after a few aerial voyages it is compelled to climb a tall tree 

 and begin afresh. At rest the membrane folds so closely as to be 

 almost indistinguishable. The Colugo has two mammae. The lower 

 incisors are set pointing forward, and are notched like the teeth of 

 a saw, and the molars are studded with points like those of all the 

 Insectivora. 



The Galeopitheci are essentially nocturnal. They are seen at night 

 moving actively through the trees. On the ground they run with agility. 

 Their flight is noiseless. Insects constitute the staple of their food, but 

 they are fond of fruit, and even devour small birds. 



In order to rest, these animals suspend themselves by their hind 

 paws to the branches of trees, like bats. The people of the regions 

 they inhabit choose this opportunity for capturing them ; and not- 



