IV THE NORTH AND WEST COAST 125 



The native Porcupine, which is an ant-eater and 

 excavates a burrow in the dry land, is very com- 

 mon in Tasmania, and I frequently saw it, while I 

 was walking through the gum forests in different 

 parts of the island, lumbering awkwardly along 

 in the evening. When approached it makes no 

 effort to escape, but rolls itself up into a prickly 

 ball ; it can be easily killed by hitting it a smart 

 blow just above the beak. It makes excellent 

 eating, tasting like young sucking-pig. 



The peculiar anatomical and physiological facts 

 connected with the breeding habits of these 

 animals have been now established beyond doubt. 

 Stated succinctly they are as follows. The 

 female of the Echidna lays a small egg in- 

 vested with a leathery shell, and this she trans- 

 fers into a small pouch which only develops 

 during the breeding season, being entirely absent 

 during the rest of the year. The young hatches 

 out in this pouch in a very rudimentary con- 

 dition, and sucks the milk of the mother from 

 mammary glands which are scattered irregularly 

 over the skin, and not collected together to form 

 definite teats. 



The Echidna is a fossorial animal, and exca- 

 vates a burrow in the ground something after the 

 manner of a mole. The Platypus also makes 

 a burrow in the ground, but unlike the Echidna 

 this is always on the banks of a river or lake, one 

 opening of the burrow being above the level of 

 the water, and the other below. In the inner- 



