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CHAPTER IV 

 SUB-OKDEK MONOTBEMATA.* 



THE PORCUPINE OR LONG-SPINED ECHIDNA AND DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS.f 



Why the Monotremata are formed into a Sub-order The lowest of the Mammalian Class THE PORCUPINE OK LONG-SPINED 

 ECHIDNA An Ant-eater, but not an Edentate Its Correct Name Description of the Animal Habits and Disposition 

 Manner of Using the Tongue Where it is Found Anatomical Features: Skull, Brain, Marsupial Bones The 

 Young Species of Van Diemen's Land and New Guinea THE WATER MOLE, OR DDCK-BILLED PLATYPUS The most 

 Bird-like Mammal Various Names Description Their Appearance and Movements hi Water Their Burrows^ 

 Habits of an Individual kept in Confinement Used by Natives as Food How they are Captured The Young A 

 Family in Captivity the Snout Jaws Teeth Tongue Fore and Hind Feet Heel Spur The Shoulder Girdle- 

 Breastbone Concluding Remarks on the Sub-orders Postscript on the Monotremes. 



THE PORCUPINE OR LONG-SPINED ECHIDNA. 



THIS animal is the first example of some Marsupial beasts which are separated into a sub-order, 

 because, in addition to the marsupial bones, there are some internal points of construction which are 

 more bird- and lizard-like than those of the Kangaroo tribes. It contains animals which are the 

 lowest of the Mammalian class, and are found only in the Australian natural history province. The 

 Porcupine Ant-eater, as its name implies, has somewhat the shape of a Hedgehog or Porcupine, and it 

 is fond of burrowing with its peculiar limbs, as well as of eating Ants with the assistance of its long 

 tongue. But its internal anatomy and the construction of the skeleton differ from those of the true 

 Ant-eaters, which belong to the order Edentata. It was called Ant-eater by its first describer (Shaw) 

 in 1792, but a few years afterwards it was decided to belong to the same group as an animal about to 

 be described the Duck-billed Platypus, or Water Mole and Cuvier, whilst believing that they both 

 belonged to a peculiar order, separated this false Ant-eater from the Water Mole as a species and 

 genus. He called this Hedgehog-like creature Echidna, from the presence of a spur on the heel, 

 which is perforated, and which was erroneously supposed to be poisonous, like the fang of a Viper 

 C'ExiSj'a). The correct name is the Long-spined Echidna, or the Porcupine Echidna (Echidna hystrix). 

 The creature greatly resembles a Hedgehog with a very long snout, at first sight, but a slight 

 examination will show that it differs much from the insect -eating and spiny little Hystrix. The 

 Echidna is about a foot in length, and the upper part of its short body is covered with strong spines, 

 and the rest is hairy, the front of the head, and the long, slender, and 

 capering snout being naked. The legs are short and strong, and the five 

 toes of the fore leg have large and strong claws. This is in order to pennit 

 the creature to bury itself in sand and soft earth quickly, and this operation 

 is assisted by a broad and rounded nail on the inner toe of the hind foot and 

 by large claws on the other toes, and especially by a long nail to the second 

 toe. A very long and flexible tongue enables the creature to catch prey. 

 There are no teeth. The skull, when the skin and flesh have been removed, 

 has a very pear-like appearance. It is a great burrower, and manages to 

 get out of the way of observers as soon as is possible, for working actively 

 with its strong limbs and claws, it pokes its snout into the earth and soon 

 gets out of view. Ants are its favourite food, and they are captured in the PELVIC ARCH OF THE 

 same way as by the Great Ant-eaters belonging to the Edentata : for in both 



J J _ (a a) Marsupial Bones. 



there is a long slimy tongue, which can be poked far out of the mouth into 



Ants' nests. The saliva required to make the tongue sticky comes from large glands under the lower 

 jaw from the ear on to the fore part of the chest. When the Ants have collected on the sticky 

 tongue it is taken into the mouth, and they are swallowed. The absence of teeth is made up by the 

 presence of horny spines on the palate and tongue, which look backwards, and these crush and direct 



* fjiovof, one ; Tpjj^ii, opening. 



+ Echidna hystrix (Cuvier). Much confusion has been produced by Illiger, who changed the generic title to Tachyglossus, 

 Taxv's, quick, and iMaa-aa, tongue ; but the name given by Cuvier must stand, except in the minds of those zoologists who 

 delight in novelties, and believe that the use of long words carries wisdom. Lately more confusion has been produced by 

 the introduction of the generic term Acanthoylossus, which we do not admit or use. 



