1885.] MR. R. COLLETT ON ECHIDNA ACANTHION. 1.5/ 



The Ovaries and Mammce. — In the paper of Mr. George Bennett 

 previously alluded to (Proc. Zool. Soe. Lond. 1881, p. 7'i7) it is stated 

 that he found impregnated specimens of the South-Queensland 

 species {E. aculeata) on the 30th August and the 14th September, and 

 that, according to his view, the young will be found in the uterus 

 in the course of September or October in this part of Queensland 

 (the Brisbane district), although he acknowledges that he does not 

 " think it can be fixed at any certain period, but must in some places 

 begin earlier than in others." 



The specimens from Central Queensland collected by Dr. Lum- 

 holtz were caught in February or March (with exception of the 

 young male, which was caught in July), and thus the generative 

 organs may be presumed to have been in a dormant state. This, 

 however, seems not to have been the case ; and it is probable that 

 E. acanthion produces its young at a different (earlier) season from 

 the southern E. aculeata. 



Dr. Lumholtz informs me that, according to the statements of 

 both the white men and the natives, E. acanthion breeds in the 

 winter time, as a rule in the month of May. One pair of ovaries 

 and one pair of mammae were preserved and brought home by 

 him. The first were taken from a full-grown specimen (No. 9) 

 in the beginning of March, and are considerably developed, although 

 not containing at the time mature eggs. The mammary glands, 

 which were, as far as Dr. L. remembers, taken from the same spe- 

 cimen, were on the other hand large and swollen and contained 

 quantities of milk which profusely flowed out on a slight pressure. 



The two ovaries were of about the same size, the right, however, 

 being a trifle smaller. Both were equally developed and showed on 

 their upper surface a number of ovisacs which appeared as shining 

 hemispheres in the stroma without being stretched in any pedicle. 

 The number of these ovisacs was in the right ovary six, all of about 

 the same size with a diameter of 3| millim., besides four to five 

 smaller or very small. On the left there were 13 larger ovisacs, 

 with a diameter of 4 millim., and two to three smaller ones. 



The two uteri were about equally developed on both sides, but 

 here also the left was a trifle larger. Both were at the time strongly 

 contracted and empty ; the diameter from the outer walls was 

 7 millim. On the right uterus the peritoneum with tunica jJfopria 

 was sti'aitened a little above the middle, so that the upper part 

 appeared as a rather twisted enlargement (8 millim.). Tlie inner 

 layer of the uterine wall had a thickness of 3| millim. 



The length of the right uterus was 24 millim., of the left 29 

 tniUim. 



The common vestibulum was very wide, and filled with crushed 

 parts of insects. 



The vesica urinaria was very muscular. 



As mentioned above, the two mammary glands contained quantities 

 of milk and appeared to have been in full action. They were oblong 

 or kidney-formed and rather compressed ; they were shaped as if 

 folded together a little above the middle, and covered with a thin 



