400 



INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. 



naturally suspected that the union was an artificial one. The 

 real animal was in fact more wonderful than that which any 

 dealer in "strange beasts," would have ventured to fabricate. 



Fig. 301. ORNITHORYNCUS. 



The Ornithoryncus is about eighteen inches long, and is 

 called by the natives of Australia the water-mole. It frequents 

 tranquil waters, seeking its food among aquatic plants, and 

 excavating its burrows in the steep and shaded banks. The 

 motion of its mandibles when procuring food are similar to 

 those of a duck under the same circumstances.* 



The Kangaroos of Australia, form the family (Macropodidce)^ 

 best known to Europeans. "They are vegetable-feeding 

 animals, browsing upon herbage like the Ruminants, and it 

 appears that in some cases they chew the cud like those animals. 

 Some are of great size, being nearly as tall as a man when in 

 their common erect position; others are as small as the common 

 Hare, and indeed greatly resemble that animal in general ap- 

 pearance. "J About the beginning of the present century, but 

 three species of the present group were known. They are now 



* A most interesting account of its habits is given by Mr. George 

 Bennett, in the Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, vol. i. 



JThe generic term Macropus, signifies long-footed. 

 Waterhouse. 



