DESCRIPTION. 301 



parts of its body, or when attacked by dogs, it 

 rolls, like the hedge-hog, into a spherical form, 

 the prickly coat forming a good defence against 

 the canine race, who have a decided aversion to 

 have their noses pricked. When attacked, it 

 has been known to burrow to a great depth in a 

 surprising short period of time. I do not think 

 that either this animal, from its coat not bearing 

 caresses, or the large lizard, called Guana, from 

 its repulsive form, will ever be admitted into the 

 nursery of favourite animals by the ladies of the 

 colony. 



The Echidna is eaten by the natives, who de- 

 clare it to be " cobbong budgeree" (very good,) 

 " and, like pig, very fat." Europeans who have 

 eaten of them, confirm this opinion, and observe 

 that they taste similar to a sucking pig. This 

 animal, when scratching, or rather cleaning 

 itself, uses only the hind claws, lying in different 

 positions, so as to enable it to reach the part of 

 the body to be operated upon. The animal is 

 pentadactyle, the two first claws of the hind feet 

 being long, the first the longest ; that of the great 

 toe the shortest : they seem to have the power of 

 erecting their spines, and, rolling themselves into 

 a spherical form, making an excellent defence 

 against many of their enemies. 



I consider there are two species of this genus 



