THK VICTOIUAN NATUH.ALIST. 89 



a good, soft bed and plenty of warmtli, — they will then sleep most 

 of the day. I have seen them put into a ca^k of water, an 1 expected 

 to live like a fish, but, of course, they soon got drowned, like any 

 other land animal, for tliey only frequent the water for fool. 



Reproduction. — I cannot prove or describe how the Platypus 

 brings forth its young, but will give the result of my observa- 

 tions on it for some years past. I have examined the female 

 during most months of the year, but do not remember getting 

 one in the month of October, which is the montli I think 

 they commence to breed. This leads me to believe that they 

 are away from the water during this month, tliat is, the 

 females, as the males are to be found at all times. In tlie 

 month of Jfovember, they are as plentiful as ever, and tlien show 

 eggs of a large size, placed in the inside similar to birds . Two ai'e 

 largely developed, one on each side, the others are very small, which 

 leads me to believe that only two are matured each year. I have noticed 

 that where you capture one young one, you will generally see another 

 about the same size. I have never been able to find them very 

 small, but the largest sized ef<;s^ I have seen is about the size of that 

 of a pigeon, havmg no appearance of a shel l, only a thick membrane, 

 something similar to that of a lizard^ e^s^. In the month of 

 December, I have again examined them, and have found no large 

 eggs i nside, but an udder full of milk , yet no appearance of teats 

 outside, although I have examined them very closely, and squeezed 

 the udder very hard, to see if I could force the milk thrdugh the 

 skin, but could not do so. I have skinned the animal, and taken 

 out the udder, but have not been able to find out how the milk could 

 be given by the mother to the young, but after taking out the udder 

 and cutting it, a large quantity of white milk can be squeezed out . 



My experience teaches me that the Platypus builds a warm and 

 secure nest fit to hold eggs,^ or rear the young one^ in. It lias eggs 

 inside in November, in some localities it may be earlier, or later, and 

 its body contains milk fit to nourish the young. 



TRIP TO NEW CALEDONIA AND FIJI. 



By Dr. T. P. Lucas. 



(Read 8th September, 1884.) 



The passage by sea was rough. Despite all courage and science, 

 I had to acknowledge the debasing, demoralizing tendencies of 

 animalism. At length far before us we eyed white breakers. Yes, 

 man might empty thousands of tons of rubbish into the South 



