MONOTREMATA. 



137 



" On the morning of the 7th Oct. Mr. G. Bennett 

 proceeded, in company with a native, to the banks 

 of the river to see the burrow of an Ornithorhynchus, 

 from which the natives had taken the young during 

 the previous summer. The burrow was situated on 

 a steep part of the bank ; and its entrance, concealed 

 among the long grass and other plants, was distant 

 rather more than a foot from the water's edge. Its 

 whole extent was not laid open, the natives content- 

 ing themselves with digging down upon it at stated 

 distances, their operations being guided by the intro- 

 duction into the burrow of a stick, which indicated 

 its direction. It took a serpentine course, and mea- 

 sured about twenty feet in length ; the termination 

 was broader than any other part, nearly oval in form, 

 and strewed with dry river weeds, &c. From this 

 nest the native stated that he had taken in the pre- 

 vious season (December) three young ones, about six 

 or eight inches in length, and covered with hair. In 

 addition to the entrance above spoken of, the bur- 

 rows have usually a second below the surface of the 

 water, communicating with the interior just within 

 the upper aperture. After exhibiting this burrow, 

 the native proceeded to explain the means employed 

 in tracking the Mallangongs.* He pointed out on 

 the moist clay of the banks, foot-marks leading to a 

 burrow, from the bottom of which, on inserting his 

 arm, he drew forth some lumps of clay, which bore 

 evident marks of the animal's recent passage. He 

 declared, however, that the inhabitant was absent, 



* The name given to the animal by the natives. 



