1881.] MR. BENNETT ON THE HABITS OF THE ECHIDNA. 737 



Fregetta — form a very well-marked family of the Tubinares, which 

 may be called Oceanitidse, as distinguished from the remainder 

 of the group, or Fulmaridse of Prof. Garrod. Anatomically, these 

 four genera agree together, and differ from the Fulmaridae (on nearly 

 all the genera of which, including Diomedea and Pvffinuria, I 

 have notes), in the two important characters already mentioned — the 

 absence of cjeca and the presence of the accessory semitendinosus 

 muscle. Externally they may be at once recognized by their 

 peculiar elongated tarsi, lamellar nails, and by never having more 

 than 10 secondaries, Procellaria and Puffinuria having 13, and the 

 remaining Fulmarida? more (in Diomedea, according to Nitzsch, as 

 many as 40). My family Oceanitidse, in fact, corresponds to Bona- 

 parte's section "** TJnguibus depressis" of his Procellariese *, and 

 to Coues's " second group " of the similarly-named section in his 

 'Review' - with the addition, in each case, of Garrodia, included by 

 both authors in the restricted genus Procellaria. 



Being now engaged in a report, for the Voyage of H.M.S. 

 ' Challenger,' on the anatomy of the Petrels collected during that 

 expedition, I propose to reserve further details of the differences and 

 characters of these two groups, and of the genera composing them, 

 till that occasion. 



2. Observations on the Habits of the Echidna hystrix of 

 Australia. By George J. Bennett, CM.Z.S. 



[Eeceived May 17, 1881.] 



Having been now engaged for nearly three years in endeavouring 

 to get an Echidna with the youug in utero, that it might assist me in 

 ascertaining whether they are oviparous or ovoviparous, I have had the 

 opportunity of observing the habits of this interesting little animal 

 in its native haunts. I hope therefore that a few notes collected 

 during that time may be of interest. 



Most of my observations have been made at Rosewood, a station 

 below the Range, and the property of Messrs. Kent and Wienholt, 

 from whose manager, Mr. Edmund Lord, I have received much 

 valuable assistance. Their "black boy " Johnny has always been at 

 my disposal. Without him I could have got very few specimens, 

 as he is most sagacious in tracking these animals. 



My first trip with Johnny showed many of the difficulties in my 

 way. We saw a great many tracks, but no animals. The ground was 

 rooted up as if so many pigs had been there tearing up the ground, 

 which the Echidnse do with their noses, to uncover the insects lying 

 under the dead leaves. They then go to the fallen rotten trees, 

 quite denuding them of bark, and tearing out the rotten wood and 

 feasting on the insects, which, on examination, I found to be small 



1 Consp. Av. ii. p. 197 (1857). 



* Op. cit. p. 74, where characters for it are given. 



