362 



QUADRUPEDS. 



FIG. 399. BURROW OF ORNITHDRYNCHUR, 



FIG. 400. THE PORCUPINE ANT-EATER. 



tomist has hesi- 

 tated as to which 

 of them they were 

 strictly referable, 

 although close re- 

 search has at last 

 decided their 

 place to be among 

 the Mammals. 



The Duck-billed 



Platypus* (Ornitho- 

 rynchus ~\~ paradoxiis + ) 

 is a quadruped, about 

 two feet in length, with 

 a rounded, . flattened 

 body, covered with 

 short, soft fur, of a deep 

 brown hue. It has a 

 broad, flat tail, very 

 short legs, and the toes 

 are united by a web, 

 which in the fore feet 

 spreads out considerably 

 beyond the tips of the 

 claws. This formation 

 enables it to swim with 

 ease and grace ; but as 

 it also burrows in the 

 earth, the free part of 

 the web folds back when 

 the animal is thus en- 

 gaged, and leaves the 

 claws unencumbered. 

 The muzzle very much 

 resembles the broad, 

 flat bill of some of the 

 ducks ; it is covered 

 with a blackish skin, 

 which overlaps at the 

 edges, and folds back at 

 the base into a broad 

 margin. The place of 

 molar teeth is supplied 

 by eight broad, horny 

 excrescences (two on 



* ir\a.Tvs, platus, broad; 

 TTOVS, pous, afoot. 



t 8pvis, 6pviGos, ornis, 

 ornithos, a bird ; piv- 

 Xos, rynchos, a beak. 



1 Paradoxical. 



