172 MARVELS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD 



inches in length, is very loosely attached to the 

 creature's body, and, when worn out, is shed and 

 replaced by a new one. But the most remarkable 

 species of all is the electric ray, which, as its name 

 implies, is capable of transmitting an electric shock 

 to any living creature coming into contact with it. 

 This means of protection is not confined, however, 

 to this fish, for others, namely the electric-eel and 

 the electric cat-fish, are endowed with a similar 

 power, concerning which we propose to deal at 

 length in the following chapter. 



A form of armament akin to the spines and quills 

 possessed by the foregoing creatures are the spurs 

 which are present upon the limbs of certain other 

 animals. Amongst the mammals thus endowed 

 are the platypus or duckbill, and the echidnas, 

 the males of which are furnished with a sharp and 

 horny spur arising from the heel of each foot, pro- 

 jecting upwards and backwards, and attaining to a 

 length of about an inch. 



There are quite a number of birds armed with 

 spurs upon their legs or wings. In some instances 

 the wing-spurs are shed every season and replaced by 

 new ones, but the leg spurs are always of a permanent 

 nature. The males of the jungle-fowl, and many of 

 the pheasants are provided with leg-spurs of a very 

 formidable nature ; some of the latter, such as the 

 blood-pheasant (Ithagenes cruentus), a species found 

 in the Himalayas, possessing as many as four pairs. 

 Both sexes of the pheasant-like spur-fowl (Galloper- 

 dix) of India are armed with similar weapons, the 

 cock birds occasionally being provided with three 



