MAMMALS 485 



grass. Surrounding this chamber at a Httle distance is a cir- 

 cular passage, and at a somewhat higher level a narrower gallery 

 of the same shape. This last has some three direct communi- 

 cations with the central chamber, and about five with the larger 

 circular passage, from which radiate a number of "side-roads", 

 that ultimately bend round and open into the home-road. An 

 enemy entering this labyrinth is likely to go wrong, and at the 

 same time the owner of the dwelling has numerous ways of 

 escape. The walls of all these various passages are compacted 

 by pressure, so that they are permanent structures which do 

 not readily fall in. But as in Rabbits (see p. 482), this con- 

 venient and well-appointed dwelling is not used as a nursery, 

 for which purpose a sheltered spot not far from the fortress is 

 selected, a suitable chamber being excavated and warmly lined. 

 This is placed where three or more galleries meet, safety from 

 weasels being the chief object attained. The family consists of 

 five young ones in most cases, and these are born in a particu- 

 larly helpless condition. They are fed and tended by their 

 mother for at least five weeks, by which time they are about 

 half-grown, and during this part of their existence are said to 

 remain in the nest. The affections of the family are apparently 

 distributed in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of the brief 

 notes appended to the cast of a drama. The mother, as usual, 

 is devoted to her young, and her affection is presumably recipro- 

 cated. The father is believed to be a noted instance of con- 

 jugal attachment, but his feelings towards his family are often 

 expressed by attempts to devour them, and a probable guess 

 might be made as to their feelings in regard to him. 



The aberrant Insectivore known as the Colugo or Flying- 

 " Lemur " {Galeopithectts), remarkable for its parachuting arrange- 

 ments, is in some respects transitional to Bats. Instead of pro- 

 ducing a numerous family, and possessing a proportionate number 

 of milk-glands, it gives birth to only a single young one, so far 

 as known. The milk-glands are two in number, and situated on 

 the chest. Although the young Colugo comes into the world 

 blind and hairless it is nevertheless able to hold firmly to the fur 

 of its mother, and is carried about by her. 



Bats (Chiroptera). — The milk-glands of Bats correspond to 

 those of the Colugo in number and position ; and the one or 

 sometimes two young ones are born in much the same condition 



