PHYSIOGRAPHY OF AUSTRALASIA. 



'357 



The platypus swims and dives with ease, and can remain below the surface for 

 some minutes, searching with its "bill" for its food insects, earth-worms, shell-fish and 

 fresh-water shrimps among the mud and water-weeds. The food which it collects under 

 water, by means of its bill, it pushes with its tongue into a pair of pouches on the 

 inner side of the cheeks, until it comes to the surface again to breathe and masticat. . 

 For the latter purpose it possesses four horny structures in each jaw, which do duty as 

 teeth and serve to grind up the food : rudiments of true teeth, which appear in the 

 young platypus, never become functional, and disappear altogether in the adult. It 

 frequents burrows in the banks of the streams, with the mouth of the burrow usually 

 below water, and here it deposits annually two eggs, from which the young speedily 

 emerge to be nourished by the se- 

 cretion of the mammary glands. 



The spiny ant-eater, or porcupine 

 ant-eater {Echidna aculeata or Tachy- 

 glossns acnlcatus), is a very different 

 looking animal from the platypus. 

 It is of about the same size, with 

 a rather bulkier body, but with no 

 visible tail. The upper surface and 

 sides are armed with numerous lone 



o 



and strong pointed spines, banded 

 with black and yellow. These are 

 modified hairs, and between them, and 

 covering the lower surface and the 

 legs, are ordinary coarse hairs form- 

 ing a loose fur. The jaws of the 

 echidna, like those of the platypus, 

 are beak-like, but much narrower 

 than those of the latter animal ; the 

 eyes are small and the pinna of the 

 ear rudimentary. There is a long 

 protrusible tongue, by means of which 

 the echidna catches the ants that 

 form its ordinary food. The legs are 



short and powerful, and armed with strong claws in adaptation to the burrowing habits 

 of the animal. While the platypus is in some danger of early extinction, owing to the 

 esteem in which its fur is held, the ccJiidna, now that the aboriginals, who were its 

 chief enemies, are dwindling away, runs little risk of disappearing ; owing to its nocturnal 

 habits it is seldom seen, even in districts where it is fairly abundant, usually remaining 

 concealed during the clay ; while its formidable array of spines, and marvellous celerity in 

 burrowing out of harm's way, make it secure against most assailants. Its rate of increase is 

 very slow, however, as the female lays only one egg annually. This she carries about with 

 her in a temporary pouch till the young one has become hatched, and the young echidna 

 remains protected in the pouch until it has attained a considerable size. Besides the common 



THE LAUGHING JACKASS. 



