124 A NATURALIST IN TASMANIA ch. 



I rowed about on this beautiful little tarn round 

 whose edge the peculiar scrub which has been 

 described grew very thickly, as well as a 

 number of the giant Grass-trees (Richea panda- 

 nifolia), I was surprised at the extraordinary 

 tameness of the Platypus, several of which swam 

 quite near the boat with the whole of their body 

 exposed above the water and shining with a 

 curious grey appearance in the sunlight. No 

 doubt in this remote spot, which perhaps had not 

 been visited for years, these Platypus had never 

 seen a human being before, for in the other parts 

 of the island, where I met with them, they were 

 always very shy, and scarcely let me get a sight 

 of them, certainly not in broad daylight. The 

 Platypus is now protected in Tasmania and is 

 in some parts greatly on the increase, so that 

 there does not appear to be any immediate pro- 

 spect of its becoming extinct. So much has been 

 written about it and the other egg-laying mammal 

 of Australia, the Echidna or native Porcupine, 

 that only a few remarks need be made here, 

 especially as I did not make any extended observa- 

 tions myself. The Tasmanian Platypus belongs to 

 the same species as that on the mainland, though 

 it usually grows to a larger size and has a finer 

 fur owing to the colder climate of the island. 

 The native Porcupine, on the other hand, is quite 

 distinct in appearance from the Echidna aculeata 

 of the mainland, having much fewer quills and 

 more abundant fur, whence its name E. setosa. 



