EGG-LAYING MAMMALS. 



217 



;.v«JJ 







/'iy. 117.— ¥ivE-T0ED Echidna 

 (Echidna aculeata). 



south-eastern New Guinea to Australia and Tasmania, while the second is 

 exclusively Papuan. All the echidnas have stout and depressed bodies, 

 which when the creatures are in repose rest flat on the ground, although in 

 walking the legs raise the body some 

 distance above the surface. In the 

 typical genus of which there appears 

 to be only one very variable specific 

 representative (Echidna aculeata), the 

 wbole of the five digits of each foot are 

 furnished with claws, which in the 

 fore-feet are broad, slightly curved, 

 and directed forwards, while in the 

 hinder pair they are more slender, and 

 curved outwards, the second, or the 

 second and third, considerably exceed- 

 ing the fourth and fifth in length, 

 and that of the first toe being short, 

 blunt, and rounded. The beak, which is of about the same length as the 

 rest of the head, may be either straight or slightly curved upwards ; and the 

 tongue tapers at the tip, and has the spines confined to its basal portion. 

 Of this species there are three well-marked local races or varieties. The 

 ordinary or typical form, which is confined to the Australian mainland, is of 

 medium size, measuring about 17 in. to the root of the tail. Kext comes the 

 variety from south-eastern New Guinea, measuring only about 14 in. in 

 length, and with the spines of the back shorter. The largest and most dis- 

 tinct of all is the Tasmanian form, which grows to 20 in., and has the fur so 

 long as almost to conceal the spines, while the claw of the third toe of the 

 hind-foot is almost as much elongated as that of the second. In Australia 

 the common echidna is generally met with in sandy or rocky districts and is 

 especially abundant in the mountains. When on level ground, it proceeds 

 with an unsteady, shuffling gait, the short and broad front feet being turned 

 outwards, and the claws of the hind-feet bent outwards and backwards in 

 such a manner as to cause the inner border of the sole to rest on the ground. 

 These animals do not venture abroad till evening, but during the night they 

 are very active, burrowing with great activity in search of their favourite 

 ants. When suddenly attacked or surprised, echidnas roll themselves up into 

 a ball-like form, but if time be allowed, they invariably endeavour to make 

 their escape by burrowing. 



The second genus of the family (Proecliithm ^) is distinguished by the feet 

 usually carrying only three claws each, although the first and fifth toes are 

 represented by two or more joints, and may occasionally be clawed. The 

 length of the claws of the hind-foot diminishes regularly from the second to 

 the fourth toe ; and the beak, which is markedly curved downwards, is much 

 longer than in the typical echidna, being nearly as long as twice the length of 

 the remainder of the head. In the Arfak mountains of north-western New 

 Guinea the genus is represented by Bruijn's echidna (P. bi'uijni), which meas- 

 ures about 19 to 20 in. in length, and has dense woolly fur, with but few 

 spines. In western New Guinea it is replaced by a larger form with stouter 

 limbs, shorter claws, and longer, more sparsely distributed, and more hairy 

 fur, but whether it is anything more than a local variety may be doubtful. 



^ It has recently been proposed to substitute the name Zagloesus, which is stated to 

 be earlier. 



