198 MONOTREMATOTJS WATER TRESPASSERS. 



itself through an aperture which seems hardly capable 

 of admitting an animal of half its size, and if held in 

 the hand, it can scarcely be retained there, slipping 

 through the grasp in a most uncanny fashion. It feels, 

 as Dr. Bennett says, as if the animal were enclosed in 

 a thick fur bag. When moving on land, the extreme 

 looseness of the skin gives the Duckbill a singularly 

 uncouth appearance, and neither dogs nor cats will 

 touch it, the former barking at it, and the latter 

 running away in alarm. 



Dr. Bennett's account of his first sight of a Duck- 

 bill is graphic and interesting : 



"The sun was now near its setting, when, at a 

 more quiet part of the river (knowing as I did the 

 crepusculous nature of the animals), I endeavoured to 

 obtain a sight of the shy OrnithorhyncJms paradoxus. 

 Those only who are anxious to view and investigate 

 the works of nature, either in the peculiar forms of 

 the animals or the surpassing beauty and variety of 

 the vegetable kingdom, can appreciate the sense of 

 enjoyment experienced on seeing in their native 

 country objects which, before, were known only from 

 vague description. 



"At a tranquil part of the river, called by the 

 colonists a ' pond/ on the surface of which numerous 

 aquatic plants were growing profusely, or in places of 

 this description, the water moles were most commonly 

 seen, seeking their food among the plants, whilst the 

 shaded banks afforded them excellent situations for 

 excavating their burrows. 



" We remained stationary on the banks, with gun 

 in rest, waiting their appearance with some degree of 



