THE COBEGO 175 



At the approach of nightfall the animal becomes active; it then 

 exercises its peculiar power of making long leaps from one tree to 

 another, supported by the skin-parachute with which it is provided. 

 Dr. A. R. Wallace, in Sumatra, where he found the animal quite 

 common, saw one clear a distance from one tree to another which he 

 estimated at seventy yards. In this long distance the animal descended 

 only about twelve yards or so, alighting near the foot of the tree 

 aimed at. Dr. Wallace considers that the creature must be able to 

 steer itself to some extent, otherwise in so long a flight it might very 

 easily miss the goal it was making for. 



According to Horsfield, if it does find itself forced to the ground, 

 it travels by " slight awkward leaps," till it finds something up which 

 it can climb. The same writer, who observed it in Java, mentions 

 that it makes its presence known by a croaking, hoarse, disagreeable 

 noise. He states that it is especially found on low hills abounding 

 with young luxuriant trees growing in a fertile soil ; it lives entirely 

 on young fruits and leaves, especially those of the cocoanut tree and of 

 Bombax pentandrum ; in this way it does a good deal of damage in 

 plantations. Dr. Wallace also says the Cobego chiefly lives on leaves, 

 but it has also been said to feed on insects and small birds, in addition 

 to the leaf and fruit diet. This is very likely, as few tree-haunting 

 animals are pure vegetarians, from our poor relations the Monkeys 

 downwards. 



This curious animal is remarkably tenacious of life, and hard to 

 destroy by any ordinary means. It is said to be very gentle, and 

 not to attempt defence when captured. Besides being appreciated as 

 food in some parts of its habitat, the animal furnishes a fur which 

 has some value locally at any rate, since Moseley found skins of the 

 Philippine form selling at Zebu, near the island of Bojol, north of 

 Mindanao, on which these animals were very abundant, at five dollars 

 a dozen. 



One would have thought that so curious an animal as this, and, 

 besides, no rarity in its own haunts, and to all appearances easily 

 accommodated with food, would have been long ago brought alive to 



