366 THE PLATYPUS. 



from each mandible, and may perhaps form a protection to 

 the eyes, while the animal is engaged in searching for food 

 with the beak plunged deep in the mud. True teeth there 

 are none ; there are, however, in each mandible, on either 

 side, two horny appendages without roots, one tuberculous, 

 and at the base of the mandible fairly within the mouth, 

 the other forming a long narrow ridge on the mandible itself. 

 The tongue is short and thick, and covered with papillae. 

 The eyes are small but bright ; and the orifice of the ears is 

 capable of being closed or opened at pleasure. The flesh of 

 this strange animal, though rank and fishy, is eaten by the 

 aborigines, to whom nothing indeed is unacceptable. 



The caution of the Ornithorhynchus, conjoined with the 

 acuteness of its senses, renders it a difficult mark for the 

 sportsman ; nor, except it be severely hit about the head, is 

 it easily killed. If only wounded, it dives, and endeavors to 

 make for its burrow, or rises amidst the dense herbage which 

 luxuriates in such localities. When the animal is watched 

 playfully sporting on the water, the slightest noise or move- 

 ment is the signal for its disappearance, nor, even when un- 

 disturbed, does it remain many minutes without diving ; 

 the moment of its reappearance (the gun being levelled in 

 the interim) is the only time for the sportsman. Mr. G. Ben- 

 nett informs us that " these animals are seen in the Austra- 

 lian rivers at all seasons of the year ; but a question may 

 arise, whether they do not, in some degree, hibernate ; for 

 they are more abundant during the summer than in the win- 

 ter months. When going down, they allow themselves to 

 be carried along by the force of the stream, without making 

 any exertion of their own ; but, when swimming against the 

 stream, all their muscular power is exerted to the utmost to 

 stem the force of the current, and it is generally done effec- 

 tively. I recollect, however, seeing two making repeated and 

 ineffectual attempts to pass a small waterfall during a rapid 

 current of the river, and, after many persevering efforts, they 

 were unable to attain their object." The habits of these ani- 

 mals have been detailed by no one so fully and satisfactorily 



