MONOTREMATA. 249 



he generally himself falls a sacrifice, after a long and hard 

 struggle. Notwithstanding the courage and ferocity of the 

 kangaroo, when pressed, he is otherwise extremely timid, and 

 more easily domesticated than any wild animal with which I 

 am acquainted. The smaller ones are frequently qtiite as 

 swift as a hare; and I have sometimes seen them outstrip 

 the fleetest dogs." Young and inexperienced dogs are almost 

 sure to fall victims to the sharp claw and powerful hind leg 

 of the kangaroo, with one stroke of which he will rip the dog 

 open and let his entrails out. 

 ORDER XIII. The order Monotremata includes two fami- 



Monotvemata. lies, the OmithorhynchidcB and the Echidni- 

 dce, both of which belong to Australia. The Duck-billed 

 Platypus belongs to the former, the Australian Hedgehog to 

 the latter family. 



^jjjg The Duck-billed Platypus is one if the most 



Duck-billed singular of animals. "When it was first introduced 



Platypus. jj^tQ Europe," says Mr. Wood, "it was fully believed 

 to be the manufacture of some impostor, who with much 

 ingenuity had fixed the beak of a duck into the head of 

 some unknown animal. It will, however, be seen by 

 examining the skull of the animal, that this duck-like beak 

 is caused by a prolongation of some of the bones of the 

 head. " The Platypus lives on the banks of rivers in burrows 

 which it forms, and feeds on water insects and small shell 

 fish. It is web-footed but its feet are so constructed that it 

 can fold back the web when it wants to burrow, and unfold 

 it when it wants to swim. The hind feet of the male are 

 anned with a sharp spur. 



jljjg The Australian Hedgehog is about a foot long. 



Australian It lives in burrows and feeds on insects, has a long 



Hedeehog. tongue but no teeth. It has spines from which 

 circumstance it is called a hedgehog after its English name- 

 sake, though its spines are almost hidden by its hair. It is 

 said to be a dull, unintelligent ^.nimal. 



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