250 



UALEOPITHECIU.T-:. 



Habits. This species is of course arboreal, and by means of its 

 parachute can throw itself from one tree and glide through the 

 air to another at a considerable distance. Wallace relates that 

 he saw one pass from one tree to another 70 yards distant, with 

 a fall of only one in five ; and he remarks that the animal must 



Fig. Tl.Galeopitheciis volans. (From a drawing by Col. Tickell.) 



have some power of guiding itself in the air, as otherwise it could 

 not alight on the trunk of the tree to which its flight is directed. 

 It is entirely nocturnal in its habits, and is said to remain hanging 

 on the stem or branch of a tree head downwards during the day, 

 its peculiar mottled coloration being very similar to that of the 

 bark. 



Oaleopithecus is said to be purely herbivorous, feeding on leaves 

 and fruits. It has but one young one at a time. 



