THE COLUGOS. 



93 



The Colugos (Gakofitheddd). 



The Colugos, flying-lemurs or flying-cats, 

 forming the genus Galeopithecus, 1 and the 

 family of the Galeopithecida are animals 

 which have somewhat of the appearance of 

 gigantic bats. The best-known form has a 

 body of about 12 inches in length, and 

 a tail of about 8 inches in length. At- 

 tached to the sides of the body and the 

 tail is a hair-clad fold of skin, called the 

 patagium, which, when expanded, meas- 

 ures about 1 6 inches across before and 

 behind. The head is long and pointed, 

 the ears are pretty large, almost naked, 

 somewhat rounded, the eyes prominent, 

 the nostrils at the point of the snout 

 but placed sidewards, and separated by 

 a broad partition. The neck is short, 

 the body slender, the tail thin and long. 

 The patagium runs from the sides of the 

 neck to the wrist in almost a straight 

 line, then descends in a curve to the 

 ankle, and from thence stretches to the 

 point of the incurved tail in such a 

 manner that this portion forms a tri- 

 angular lobe. The skin, which is every- 

 where covered with thick white hair, 

 connects also the digits of both fore and 

 hind limbs as far as the roots of the 

 sharp, cutting curved claws, but these 

 digits, unlike those of the bats, are 

 short. There is no opposable thumb or 

 great toe. 



One would link the flying-lemurs with the 

 flying-foxes (Pteropus), if the dentition and 

 the form of the skeleton, especially of the 

 digits, were not different. In the upper jaw 

 there is in the former a wide median gap or 

 diastema, then on each side a quite small 

 incisor placed very close to the next tooth 

 beyond, then two sharp-pointed triangular 

 teeth, the first of which, the larger of the two, 



1 The genus Galeopithecus is now usually included among the 

 Insectivora, to which order it was first referred by Dr. Peters of 

 Berlin, but according to Prof. Parker it stands in fact quite isolated, 

 having no near relations whatever. TR. 



is the canine, while the second is a premolar. 

 After these there follow five sharp-pointed 

 teeth, the cusps of which are in two rows. 

 In the lower jaw there are three broad 

 incisors divided into strips like the teeth of 

 a comb, the two inner of which are placed 

 horizontally, then again two sharp-pointed 



Fig. 36. The Colugo or Flying-cat (Galeopithecus volilans). page 94. 



triangular teeth, the first the canine, the second 

 a premolar, after which come another pre- 

 molar, one with several cusps, and four 

 molars which get worn away by use. It is 

 the dentition of an insect-eater, which has 

 adapted itself also to a vegetable diet. The 



dental formula is 



i ' i 



5 



= 36 teeth. 



3 i 2 4 



The orbits do not form a complete bony ring 

 as in the other Prosimii, but have a wide gap 

 behind. The lower jaw is heavy and massive ; 

 the fore-arm very long and so also the fore- 

 leg. 



The flying-lemurs sleep by day hanging 



