18 NATURAL HISTOEY. 



the daytime inert in branches and hollows of trees, but 

 prowls at night in search of its food, which consists of 

 insects, birds, eggs, fruits, etc. It makes great use of itii 

 tail in climbing, being able to swing by it from one branch 

 to another. When attacked it feigns death, and so well 

 that even dogs are deceived. This is the origin of the 

 common phrase, " playing 'possum." 



133. There ai'e two very singular animals in Australia, 

 about the classification of which there has been some dif- 

 ference of opinion. By some they have been placed in 

 this order, on account of some resemblance in the skele- 

 ton, although they have not any marsupium. The first 

 is the Duck-billed Platypus, Fig. 6V. This singular ani- 



Fig. 67 Duck-billed Platypus. 



mal has a body like that of an Otter, and a bill like that 

 of a Duck. It was first made known to British natural- 

 ists by a stuffed specimen, and it was at once suspected 

 that the bill of some Australian bird had been ingeniously 

 fastened to the head of a quadruped. But it was found 

 to be no deception, and this animal presents the strongest 

 example that we have of an approach in the Mammal 

 tribe to that of birds. It uses its bill precisely as the 

 Duck does, searching for insects, small shell-fish, etc., by 

 plunging it here and there in the mud. There is a curi- 

 ous provision in the young to prevent the bill from inter- 

 fering with the operation of suckling. It is very soft. 



