THE BATS AND INSECT-EATING MAMMALS 147 
TuHE 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 ata 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. 
aria a --—-<4 The most noteworthy ex- 
Photo by W, Saville-Kent, F.Z.8 ] [Croydon 7 ar 
COBEGO amples of this variation are 
Vertical (front) view of the 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 Jumpinc-sHRews of Africa, the HEDGEHOGs, the TENnrEcs, the ele- 
gant little MousE-LIkE Surews of almost world-wide distribution, and the WaTER-sHREWws. 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 preseat 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, 
