. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. JOT OF COLIC body, and can be stretclied by the extension of the limbs to which it is attadied so as to act as i ^oit of pai-achute, which supports its owner after the same fasliicn as the very siiiiihir fold of skni that exists in the same position in the so called Flying Sc]uiiTels and Flying Opossums. In the C'oJ'ig(, however^ tliis curious arrangement is carried further than in the other groups of Mammals just mentioned; for, as in the Bats, there is a distinct antebrachial membrane, stretch- ing along the front of the arms from the wr
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. JOT OF COLIC body, and can be stretclied by the extension of the limbs to which it is attadied so as to act as i ^oit of pai-achute, which supports its owner after the same fasliicn as the very siiiiihir fold of skni that exists in the same position in the so called Flying Sc]uiiTels and Flying Opossums. In the C'oJ'ig(, however^ tliis curious arrangement is carried further than in the other groups of Mammals just mentioned; for, as in the Bats, there is a distinct antebrachial membrane, stretch- ing along the front of the arms from the wrists to the sides of the neck; and the space between the hind limbs is occupied by an ample triangular membrane, down the middle of which the long tail passes, and which is also stretched by the extension of the limbs. Even the toes are joined by membranes as far as the base of the claws, and this great development of the skin must be regarded as to a certain extent approximating the creature to the Bats. The whole of this fold of skin is clothed both above and beneath with hair; and although some observei-s have described the animal as moving its expanded membranes during flight, no approach to the peculiar action of the Bat's wing can ever be made by it. The most striking point in which it exceeds the other parachiite-beariiig Mammals is the development of the membrane between the hind limbs, and this, by the action of the tail, may be made to exert a powerfid influence upon the course of the animal during its so-called flights. Mr. Wallace, who had the opportunity of observing the Colugo in its native haunts, describes its flight follows :—" Once, in a bright twilight," he says, " I saw one of these animals run up a trunk in a rather open place, and then glide obliquely through the air to another tree, on which it alighted near its base, and immediately began to ascend. I paced the distance from the one tree to the other, and found it tO' be seventy yar
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectanimals
