THE MALLEE COUNTRY 



95 



provided with strong limbs and claws, and is an ex- 

 pert excavator. So rapidly does an Echidna burrow 

 that it is difficult to capture one, unless it is found 

 napping. When a "Porcupine" is alarmed it usually 

 begins to burrow, and soon is safe underground. 

 Should it not have time to escape in this way, it forms 



ECHIDNA, WALKING. 



its body into a sphere, and presents to the enemy a 

 formidable array of sharp spines. Dogs are loath 

 to attack the creature when it plays Hedgehog, and 

 doubtless this manoeuvre foils Dingoes and other 

 natural enemies. The Echidna's food consists of 

 ants and termites and their eggs. The muzzle, to 

 quote Lydekker, "is in the form of a long, slender, 

 cylindrical, toothless beak, adapted for the protection 

 of the long, worm-like, extensile tongue." In secur- 

 ing its food the Echidna adopts the same method as 



