THE DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS. 103 



It eats frogs, mollusks, and water insects. 



It has the bill of the duck, and lays eggs, from 

 which its young are hatched, and suckles its young 

 after hatching, till they are able to do for themselves. 

 You have, therefore, in the platypus a strange com- 

 mingling of the bird and the beast. 



