ORNITHORHYNCHUS. 



357 



ments in all burrowing mammalia, are not, indeed, 

 very well adapted for scraping the earth, though the 

 claws upon the toes are strong. The web, though 

 it can be retracted, would be much in the way in 

 such an operation, though it might assist the animal 

 in pushing itself forward, and also in patting and 

 smoothing the burrow after being once formed. The 

 working of the animal in the formation of its retreat 

 is as obscure, however, as the undetermined part of 

 the mode of its production. 



Mr. Bennett, who was at great pains in rinding out 

 all the observable habits of these curious animals, 

 mentions, that the utmost caution is necessary in 

 getting a sight of them when they come to the surface 

 of the water, as the least sound or even motion 

 in an observer, when sufficiently near for getting a 

 view of them, is sure to send them under water, and 

 they do not rise again at the same place. One who 

 remains perfectly still and quiet, may observe them 

 paddling about for a minute or two. They soon de- 

 scend, however, even when not alarmed ; and if the 

 least alarm is given, they descend instantly, plunging 

 head foremost. A sketch of one in the act of swim- 

 ming at the surface, was given in the article MAM- 

 MALIA, at page J97 of this volume ; and there is also 

 a figure on the steel plate, entitled " AMPHIBIOUS 

 ANIMALS." 



In the interior chamber of the burrow, the female 

 constructs rather a comfortable bed for the young, 

 consisting of dried vegetable matters ; but as most 

 burrowing animals construct beds of this kind for their 

 young, no particular conclusion can be drawn from 

 this circumstance. 



Their food is understood to be obtained entirely in 

 the water, or rather in the soft mud and sludge at the 

 bottom or close by the margins. It is understood to 

 consist entirely of animal matter insects and their 

 larva? and small mollusca. They feed after the man- 

 ner of the dabbling ducks ; though, as their feeding 

 is generally under water, it is not easily observed. 



Long as Australia has been a British colony, and 

 many of these animals as have been captured, it 

 is somewhat remarkable, that it was not till Mr. 

 Bennett made his observations in that country, that 

 any thing was known of their disposition?. The spurs 

 on the hind legs had long been regarded as inflicting 

 poisoned wounds ; but Mr. Bennett teased and irri- 

 tated the male, the only one which has these spurs, 

 in a variety of ways, and the animal never showed 

 the least disposition to use the spurs, or any other 

 part of the body, either for offence or defence. The 

 probability therefore is, that in all respects these are 

 among the most harmless of animals. They are not, 

 however, destitute of kindly and playful dispositions, 

 or even of resources for the accomplishment of pur- 

 poses very unsuitable, as one would suppose, to their 

 very singular organisation. 



In the course of his researches, Mr. Bennett suc- 

 ceeded in procuring from the nest two young ones, 

 sufficiently advanced to have the fur complete ; and 

 he contrived to keep them not on\y alive, but in 

 health and playfulness for some time, though, pro- 

 bably from the want of food rightly adapted to them, 

 they soon languished, and died at the end of five 

 weeks, thus defeating Mr. B.'s hope of bringing them 

 alive to England. While they were in his possession, he 

 was watchful of their manners ; and the results of his 

 observations are valuable, as containing all that is 

 known on the subject. 



They were obviously much attached to each other, 

 and slept great part of their time. When sleeping 

 profoundly, they could be handled without complain- 

 ing ; but when their sleep was less perfect, they 

 uttered " awful little growls," as Mr. Bennett expresses 

 it. Sometimes they slept with their bodies extended; 

 and at other times they rolled themselves into balls. 

 In doing this the head is bent backwards, and the 

 tail forwards on the under part, so that the tail ex- 

 tends over the head, as is done by most animals which 

 roll themselves up without having a contractile case 

 like that of the hedgehog. They used to play with 

 each other, using both the mandibles and the fore 

 paws in their little sham fights, and continuing till one 

 was upset. There never appeared, however, to be v 

 the slightest tendency to triumph on the one side, or 

 to irritation on the other in these displays ; for when 

 one was down the other always waited till it got up 

 again ; and the fallen one very frequently took the 

 opportunity of trimming its fur with the hind feet ; 

 and both of them would sometimes pause and per- 

 form this operation, which appears to be a very 

 common [one with the^ animals when they come on 

 land. 



One of the most singular indoor exploits was that 

 of climbing to the top of a book-case ; and their mode 

 of doing this shows something of their manner of pro- 

 ceeding when they work their way in the earth. The 

 book-case stood within a short distance of the wall ; 

 and the animal by getting its paws to the book-case, 

 and its back to the wall, and working the muscles of 

 both, contrived to make its way to the top with more 

 celerity than one would have expected from its ap- 

 parent slowness and helplessness on the surface of the 

 ground. The form of the body, and the nature of the 

 fur appeared both to assist in this kind of motion. 

 The back is exceedingly muscular, and the legs very 

 short, while the smoothness of the fur favours a for- 

 ward motion, and its stiffness prevents a backward 

 one ; and by thus working double, it is probable that 

 these animals can move with great rapidity and little 

 labour along their subterranean retreats. For some 

 account of the swiftness of another burrowing animal 

 under ground, as compared with its helplessness upon 

 the surface, see the article MOLE in the present 

 volume. This climbing seemed to be a favourite 

 style of motion with these curious animals ; for they 

 obtained no food or any other gratification of a desire, 

 as the reward for it, and yet they practised it again 

 and again, appearing to take a great pleasure 

 in it. 



Mr. Bennett paid attention also to their aquatic 

 habits, in order that he might establish something 

 witli regard to their manners in both elements. He 

 took them to the water, using the precaution of 

 securing them by a cord fastened to the hind leg, in 

 order to prevent their escape. They entered it rea- 

 dily, swimming about and feeding, and resorting in 

 preference to places containing aquatic plants for the 

 latter purpose. When they had wearied themselves 

 in this way, they returned to the bank, trimmed their 

 fur with their claws, and fell into a state of repose; 

 and there is little doubt that such is their habit in a 

 state of nature, only they retire to the burrow instead 

 of reposing on the bank. 



Such is the most authentic account which has 

 hitherto been received of the disposition and manners 

 of these curious animals. We may add, that the 

 length varies from fifteen inches to upwards of two 



