f trees head downwards in a state of
repose. With the approach of night their season of activity commences,
when they may be occasionally seen gliding from tree to tree supported
on their cutaneous parachute, and they have been noticed as capable of
traversing in this way a space of 70 yds. with a descent of only about
one in five. Europeans in the East know these animals as "flying
lemurs." (See GALEOPITHECUS.)

COLUMBA, SAINT (Irish, _Colum_), Irish saint, was born on the 7th of
December 521, in all probability at Gartan in Co. Donegal. His father
Feidlimid was a member of the reigning family in Ireland and was closely
allied to that of Dalriada (Argyll). His mother Eithne was of Leinster
extraction and was descended from an illustrious provincial king. To
these powerful connexions as much as to his piety and ability, he owed
the immense influence he possessed. Later lives state that the saint was
also called Crimthann (fox), and Reeves suggests that he may have had
two names, the one baptismal, the other secular. He was afterwards known
as Columkille, or Columba of the Church, to distinguish him from others
of the same name. During his early years the Irish Church was reformed
by Gildas and Finian of Clonard, and numerous monasteries were founded
which made Ireland renowned as a centre of learning. Columba himself
studied under two of the most distinguished Irishmen of his day, Finian
of Moville (at the head of Strangford Lough) and Finian of Clonard.
Almost as a matter of course, under such circumstances, he embraced the
monastic life. He was ordained deacon while at Moville, and afterwards,
when about thirty years of age, was raised to the priesthood. During his
residence in Ireland he founded, in addition to a number of churches,
two famous monasteries, one named Daire Calgaich (Derry) on the banks of
Lough Foyle, the other Dair-magh (Durrow) in King's county.

In 563 he left his native land, accompanied by twelve disciples, and
went on a mission to northern Britain, perhaps on the invitation of his
kinsman Conall, king of Dalriada. Irish accounts represent Columba as
undertaking this mission in consequence of the censure expressed against
him by the clergy after the battle of Cooldrevny; but this is probably a
fabrication. The saint's labours in Scotland must be regarded as a
manifestation of the same spirit of missionary enterprise with which so
many of his countrymen were imbued. Columba established himse