368 THE PLATYPUS. 



burrow were observed by Mr. Bennett, nor does he know, as 

 he says, "how, in the progress of excavation, the animal dis- 

 poses of the loose mould :" perhaps it carries it to a distance, 

 he goes on to observe, as the mason-wasp and carpenter-bee. 



Arriving at Lansdown Park, Mr. Bennett observes, " Here 

 I availed myself of the vicinity of some ponds (also inhabited 

 by these animals,) to give it a little recreation. On opening 

 the box it was lying in a corner contracted into a very small 

 compass, and fast asleep. I tied a very long cord to its hind 

 leg, and roused it, in return for which I received numerous 

 growls. When placed on the bank it soon found the way 

 into the water, and travelled up the stream, apparently de- 

 lighting in those places which most abounded in aquatic 

 weeds. Although it would dive in deep water, it appeared to 

 prefer keeping close to the bank, occasionally thrusting its 

 beak (with a motion similar to that of a duck when it feeds) 

 among the mud, and at the roots of the various weeds lining 

 the margin of the ponds, and which we may readily suppose 

 to be the resort of insects. After it had wandered some dis- 

 tance up the chain of ponds, feeding about the shallow water 

 and mud near the banks, it crawled up the bank, enjoyed the 

 luxury of scratching itself, and rolling about. In this process 

 of cleaning itself, the hind-claws were alone brought into use 

 for the operation first the claws of one hind-leg, then those 

 of the other. The body being so capable of contraction was 

 readily brought within reach of the hind-feet, and the head 

 also was brought so close as to have its share in the universal 

 cleaning process. The animal remained for more than an 

 htour cleaning itself, after which it had a more sleek and 

 glossy appearance. 



On the 28th of December, Mr. Bennett visited a noble sheet 

 of water, called Koroa, formed by the Wollondilly river, on 

 the banks of which the burrow of an Ornithorhynchus was 

 discovered. In opening it, " the aborigines used their hard 

 pointed sticks, and although the ground was firm, they suc- 

 ceeded as quickly as we could have done with our spades." 

 The method of laying open the burrow was by making holes 



