126 MONOTREMATA 
in the mountains. In a wild state they live mainly on ants. Speci- 
mens have been brought to this country and kept in the Zoological 
Society’s Gardens ; and in captivity they will readily eat eggs, and 
bread-and-milk. They are able, however, to endure long fasts, an 
individual having been known to go without food for upwards of a 
month. 
These animals seem to be mainly of nocturnal habits, and if 
brought out during the day-time appear to be sluggish and stupid, 
crouching to the ground with the head between the legs, and thus 
presenting a mass of spines to an enemy. They burrow rapidly in 
soft ground, sinking directly downwards, and not going head for- 
wards. A specimen placed on a large chest of earth containing 
plants reached the bottom in less than two minutes; and it is said 
that the muzzle assists in the work of burrowing. 
Procchidna.1—The one known representative of the genus 
Proechidna (Fig. 33) attains dimensions about equal to those of 
Fia. 33.—The Three-toed Echidna (Procchidna bruijnii). From Gervais. 
the largest race of Echidna aruleata. The skull is less depressed 
than in the latter, with the anterior portion of the palate very 
concave, and the deflected beak nearly twice the length of the 
remainder of the skull. As a rule, there are only three claws to 
each foot; but the first and fifth digits are represented by several 
phalanges, and one instance is known where there are five complete 
claws on the anterior and four on the posterior feet. There are 
two more vertebre in the dorsal and lumbar region than in 
Echidna. 
The head and body are covered with a thick coat of hair 
among which there are a number of short spines in the region of 
the back, which are much less numerous than in the typical race of 
the last species. The colour of the fur is generally dark brown or 
black, but the head may be almost white; and the spines are 
usually entirely white, although in certain cases they may be brown 
at the root. 
* Gervais, Ostéographie des Monotremes, p. 43 (1877). 
