^1 6 Zoological Society, 



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with mud or gravel, which latter, JMr. G. Bennett suggests, may be 

 required to aid digestion. River-weeds were never observed to form 

 part of the food; but Mr. George MacLeay informed the author 

 that in a situation in which water-insects were very scarce he had 

 shot Ornithorhynchi with river- weeds in their pouches. 



Similar excursions were made on the 8th and 9th of October ; 

 and on the latter day one of the burrows was explored. The entrance 

 of this burrow was situated on a moderately steep bank, abounding 

 with long wiry grass and shrubs, at the distance of about five feet 

 from the water's edge : its course lay in a serpentine direction up 

 t})e bank, approaching nearer to the surface of the earth towards its 

 termination. At this part it was expanded to form a chamber suf- 

 ficiently capacious for the reception of the animal and her young, 

 and measured one foot in length by six inches in breadth. Its 

 whole length, from the entrance to the termination, was twenty 

 feet ; narrowing as it receded from the entrance, where it measured 

 one foot three inches in depth, and one foot one inch in breadth, and 

 in the intermediate part becoming scarcely larger than the usual 

 breadth of the animal when uncontracted. 



From this burrow a living female was taken, and placed in a cask, 

 with grass, mud, water, &c. ; and in this situation it soon became 

 tranquil, and apparently reconciled to its confinement. Hoping that 

 he had now obtained the means, should his captive prove to have 

 been impregnated, of determining the character of the excluded pro- 

 duct, Mr. G. Bennett set out on his return for Sidney, on the 13tli 

 of October, carrying the living Ornithorhynchus with him in a small 

 box, covered with battens, between which only very narrow interv^als 

 were left. 



The next morning, tying a long cord to its leg, he roused it and 

 placed it on the bank of the river, in order to indulge it with a bathe ; 

 and a similar indulgence was granted to it on the second day of its 

 journey. On these occasions it soon found its way into the water, 

 and travelled up the stream, apparently delighting in those places 

 which abounded most with aquatic weeds. When diving in deej) 

 and clear water, its motions were distinctly seen : it sank speedily 

 to the bottom, swam there for a short distance, and then rose again 

 to the surface. It appeared, however, to prefer keeping close to the 

 bank, occasionally thrusting its beak into the mud, from whence it 

 evidently procured food, as on raising the head, after withdrawing 

 the beak, the mandibles were seen in lateral motion, as is usual when 

 the animal masticates. The motions of the mandibles were similar 

 to those of a duck under the same circumstances. After feeding, it 

 would lie sometimes on the grassy bank, and at others partly in and 

 partly out of the water, combing and cleaning its coat with the claws 

 of the hind feet. This process occupied a considerable time, and 

 greatly improved its sleek and glossy appearance. After its second 

 excursion it was replaced in the box, which was not opened again 

 until the following morning, when it was found to have made its 

 escape. 



Although the summer season was now far advanced, Mr. G. 



