104 THE FAUNA OF 
the consequences of their own incapacity for defence. 
The tropical forests offer great possibilities in the way 
of shelter and protection, and it is therefore not remark- 
able that various forms should show special adapta- 
tions to life here. The most striking of these adaptations 
are those shown by a very aberrant animal, the so- 
called flying lemur (Galeopithecus), of which two 
species occur, one in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, 
Sumatra, and adjacent regions, and the other in the 
Philippine Islands. The flying lemur is about the size 
of a cat, and resembles the flying squirrels of temperate 
forests in having a parachute of skin extending from 
the fore to the hind limbs, which enables it to take 
flying leaps from tree to tree. The membrane is, how- 
ever, better developed, in that it involves the tail as 
well as the limbs. The fingers and toes are short and 
strongly clawed, and they, together with the slightly 
prehensile tail, enable the animal to swarm up trees, 
for it cannot fly in the sense of ascending against 
gravity. It feeds upon leaves, and has strongly cusped 
front teeth, presumably for the purpose of nibbling the 
leaves. The animal altogether offers a curious example 
of adaptation to forest life. 
In the same region as the flying lemur, but extend- 
ing also into the mainland of India and Burma, we find 
the little tree-shrews (Tupaia), which so far as adapta- 
tions go may be said to be comparable to ordinary 
squirrels, as Galeopithecus is to flying squirrels. The 
tree-shrews are very like squirrels in appearance, 
though smaller than most. The feet are naked beneath, 
with sharp claws to allow the animals to cling to the 
rough bark, the tail is long and bushy, and the animals 
use their forefeet like squirrels in feeding, sitting up 
on their hind-legs and holding the insects or fruits in 
