THE COBEGO 



(Galeopithecus volans) 



THE Cobego, Colugo, Kubong, or Kaguan for this nondescript creature 

 rejoices in a variety of names as queer as its appearance is usually 

 classed with the Insectivora, mainly, to all appearances, because it 

 will not fit in comfortably anywhere else in the natural system. The 

 English and scientific names given to it express this puzzle as to its 

 attributes it has been called a Flying Lemur, though it certainly is 

 not a Lemur, and does not fly in the proper sense of the word and 

 the scientific title (Galeopithecus) means Marten-Monkey, though, what- 

 ever it may be, it is neither Monkey nor Marten. 



What it really is like in general appearance may be gathered from 

 the illustration ; in size it about equals a small Cat, and is a slim-bodied, 

 long-limbed animal. The paws are five-toed on both fore- and hind- 

 feet, with the length of the toes increasing from the inner to the 

 outer, and all of them armed with sharp curved claws. All the toes 

 are fully webbed a quite unique character in a land animal. 



Perhaps the most remarkable peculiarity about the animal's general 

 form is the parachute, by which it executes its so-called flights. This 

 is an extension of the skin, which reaches from the lower jaw, on each 

 side, to the fore-paw, and runs on from the fore-paws to the hind-paws. 

 From the hind-paws it is continued to the tip of the tail, which 

 is thus entirely enclosed in it like the body ; it is long, and has 

 some prehensile power. Thus the creature's body, limbs, and tail form 

 the centre framework of a skinny web, a sort of animated kite. The 

 fur, \vhich clothes uniformly both the body and the skin-extension, 

 is beautifully soft, like that of the Chinchilla, and is variable in colour, 

 but always of some sober shade, olive, brown, or drab, with a 

 mottling of whitish spots ; below, it is of a brownish-grey shade. 



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