” 
“On a beautiful summer evening, 
says Bennett, “I approached a small 
river in Australia, and as I knew the 
predilection of the duck mole for the 
hour of dusk, I tried to obtain a 
glimpse of one. With a constant 
grasp on our guns, we patiently stood 
onthe shore. It was not long before 
we saw a black object appear near us 
- on the top of the water, the head be- 
ing raised but little above the surface. 
We stood motionless, lest we should 
scare the animal, carefully observing 
and following its movements, for one 
must be ready to shoot just as the duck 
mole reappears after diving. Only a 
shot in the head is effective, as the 
loose, thick fur will not allow a bullet 
to penetrate it readily. We wounded 
one which gave evidence of severe in- 
jury and sank immediately, but soon 
rose again. When the dog brought it 
to us we found it to be a fine male. 
Several minutes after it had been 
brought out of the water it apparently 
revived, and, instantly rising to its feet, 
staggered toward the river. About 
twenty-five minutes later it turned over 
several times and then died. As I had 
heard much about the danger of being 
pierced by its spur even when the ani- 
mal is mortally injured, I put my hand 
near the so-called poisonous spur at 
the first grasp. In its violent exertions 
to escape the animal scratched me 
slightly with its hind paws and also 
with its spur, but despite the roughness 
with which I seized it, it did not wound 
me intentionally. I had also been 
further told that the duck mole lay on 
its back when it wished to use the spur, 
which statement will not be received as 
at all probable by anyone who knows 
the animal in ever so slight a way. I 
put it in this position, butit only strove 
to regain its feet without attempting to 
wound me by using its spur. Inshort, 
I tried in every way to induce the an- 
imal to make use of its spur as a wea- 
pon, but in vain; and I am perfectly 
convinced that the spur has another 
function than that of a weapon. The 
natives characterize the spur as ‘mis- 
chievous,’ that being with them a word 
which in general conveys the idea of 
dangerous or poisonous character; yet 
they use the same expression in speak- 
| 
83 
ing of the scratches inflicted by the an- 
imal with the hinder feet, and they are 
not at all afraid of seizing aliving duck 
mole. Whenthe queer creature runs 
along the ground, it produces an im- 
pression of something unnatural, and 
its strange shape easily startles a timid 
person. Cats instantly take flight at 
its appearance, and even dogs, which 
are not specially trained, stare at it, 
prick their ears, and bark, but are 
afraid to touch it.” 
On another voyage Bennett discov- 
ered a burrow containing three young 
ones, upon which the hair had already 
grown, and which he could observe for 
some time. When he found the nest 
with the young ones and placed them 
on the ground, they ran to and fro, but 
did not make such savage attempts to 
escape as did the old ones. The na- 
tives, whose mouths watered at the 
sight of these fat young animals, said 
that they were about eight months old, 
and added that the young duck moles 
were fed milk by their mother only 
during their early infancy and later 
were given insects, small shells, and 
mud. 
At evening Bennett’s two little pets 
emerged from their cage at dusk and 
usually ate their food; then they began 
to play like a couple of young dogs, 
attacking each other with their beaks, 
lifting their fore paws and climbing 
over each other. They were very 
lively. Their littleeyes gleamedand the 
apertures of the ears opened and closed 
in remarkably rapid succession. As 
their eyes stand quite high on their 
heads they cannot see very well straight 
ahead, and therefore are apt to come 
into collision with near-by objects. The 
young animals survived only five weeks. 
The duck mole lays several soft- 
shelled eggs. The eggs are hatched in 
the nest. The newly-hatched young 
are small, naked, blind-and as helpless 
as those of the pouched animals. Their 
beaks are short. 
In the zodlogical garden at Mel- 
bourne duck moles have occasionally 
been kept of late years, but none have, 
thus far, reached Europe or America 
alive. 
Brehm says that the duck mole is the 
last among the known mammals. 
