xm.] BRUIJN'S ECHIDNA. 317 



tional human figures lying on their stomachs and supporting the 

 curved bar on which the neck is intended to rest. It is curious 

 that such an exceedingly uncomfortable article should Ije in 

 use among such different and widely -separated peoples as it 

 is. The Zulus and other South African tribes use it, and even 

 the Japanese have not discovered anything better. In Egypt 

 it is probably contemporaneous with the construction of the 

 Pyramids ! 



We returned to Dorei Bay on the 13th, merely waiting long 

 enough to pick up our ornithological spoil from the Arfak district, 

 and to get our hunters on board, and our time was for some days 

 afterwards fully occupied in the labelling and arrangement of our 

 collections. 



Among them we were fortunate enough to find a prize, — the 

 rare and extraordinary Echidna that has quite recently been 

 discovered in Northern New Guinea (Proechidna hruijni). This 

 curious animal in outward appearance resembles the Hedgehogs 

 in its spine -covered body and the Ant-eaters in its long and 

 tapermg snout. The latter is incapable of being opened, and the 

 mouth consists of a small hole at the apex through which the 

 long and vermiform- tongue is protruded. The spines are short 

 and stout, but of needle-like sharpness, and spring from a thick 

 coat of dark brown fur. The fore foot is furnished with three 

 broad and nail-shaped claws, while those of the hinder lunlj are 

 long, sickle-like, and very sharp. Worked by the powerful muscles 

 with which the creature is provided, these are admirably adapted 

 for digging. The tail is rudimentary. Bruijn's Echidna, which is 

 over two feet in length, and is thus considerably larger than its 

 Australian representative, is said by the natives to live in burrows 

 in rocky ground. 



On the 15th we again arrived at Momos in Waigiou. Our 

 friend the Eajah came off almost before we had let go our anchor, 

 followed directly afterwards by the two hunters we had left behind 

 to collect for us. They had not obtained the PJiipidornis, as we 



