60 MARVELS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD 



peculiar on account of their being turned back- 

 wards. 



A horny spur, pierced by a small channel opening 

 at the extremity, from which exudes a fluid dis- 

 charged from glands situated upon the leg, is 

 present upon the heels of the males. These spurs 

 serve their owners as weapons of offence and 

 defence, while, moreover, the secretion exuded 

 from the glands is of a slightly poisonous 

 nature. 



The animal's jaws are devoid of teeth, but the 

 tongue is of great length and proves a most efficient 

 instrument for lapping up the ants upon which it 

 feeds. The short and stump-like tail is hidden by 

 numerous small spines, while similar spines of 

 varying length cover the upper part and sides of 

 the body, the uppermost ones on either side pointing 

 upwards and overlapping one another. 



Three distinct races of echidnas are generally 

 recognised, one found at Port Moresby in the south 

 of New Guinea being characterised by its small size 

 (an adult only attaining to a length of a little 

 more than a foot) and by the shortness of its 

 spines. 



In the variety that inhabits Australia, the spines 

 are very long, while a third race, confined to the 

 island of Tasmania, is distinguished by its superior 

 size (a length of eighteen inches or more being by 

 no means unusual), and by the fact that its 

 short spines are almost completely concealed by 

 hair. 



Mr. Frank Finn tells us that in certain places 



