THE BATS AND INSECT-EATING MAMMALS 169 



THE INSECTIVORA, OR FLIGHTLESS INSECT-EATERS. 



Some members of this group have departed from the traditional insect diet. Thus the 

 cobego feeds upon leaves, a curious aquatic shrew the Potamogale of West Africa upon fish, 

 and the moles upon worms. 



The group has a very wide geographical distribution, but there are nevertheless large 

 portions of the globe in which they are conspicuous by their absence. They are never found in 

 Australia or South America. Madagascar, Africa, and the West India Islands produce the most 



remarkable forms. 



THE COBEGO. 

 This is a peculiarly inter- 

 esting animal, which lives in 

 the forests of Sumatra, Borneo, 

 the Malay Peninsula, and the 

 Philippine Islands. It dwells 

 among the trees, moving from 

 one to another by taking 

 flying leaps through the air, 

 covering as much as seventy 

 yards at a jump. Prodigious 

 leaps like this would be quite 

 impossible but for the fact that 

 the animal, which is almost as 

 large as a cat, is provided with 

 a sort of parachute, formed by 

 a broad web of skin stretched 

 between the body on either 

 side and the fore and hind 

 limbs, and between the hind 

 limbs and the tail. 



SHREWS, HEDGEHOGS, AND 



TENRECS. 



The variation in form 

 presented by the members of 

 this group is considerable. 

 The most noteworthy ex- 

 amples of this variation are 



Vertical (front) -view of tie cobego, -with newly born and naked young attached. Note the furnished by the pretty little 

 extension of the membrane between the toes of the fore feet of the adult SQuirrel-like TREE-SHREWS of 



India and Borneo and neigh- 

 bouring lands, the mouse-like JUMPING-SHREWS of Africa, the HEDGEHOGS, the TENRECS, the ele- 

 gant little MOUSE-LIKE SHREWS of almost world-wide distribution, and the WATER-SHREWS. Of 

 these, hedgehogs and tenrecs have undergone the greatest transformation. By a curious modi- 

 fication of their original hairy covering they have developed a formidable armour of sharp spines. 

 When alarmed, the former roll themselves up into a ball by the contraction of powerful muscles, 

 and so present an almost impregnable armour to an enemy. Stoats and foxes, however, appear 

 at least occasionally to succeed in overcoming this defense and making a meal of the vanquished. 

 Tenrecs are found in Madagascar. The COMMON TENREC is the largest of all insect-eaters, 



Photo by ^. Saville-Kent, l-'.Z.S ] 



COBEGO 



[Croydon 



