THE ECHIDNA 395 



and in others Jannocumbine and Cogera. They eat it — as they do 

 most things — their method of cooking being to roast it in the skin, 

 and fifty years ago, at any rate, it was considered good eating by our 

 colonial countrymen also. 



It is, however, the reproduction of this animal that has the greatest 

 scientific interest. About the beginning of August — which is, of course, 

 winter in Australia — the female lays her one egg, which is about as 

 big as a Sparrow's, but rounder in shape, and of a yellowish colour 

 without markings ; a specimen of it can be seen in the South Kensing- 

 ton Museum in the case devoted to this group of animals. The egg, 

 when laid, is placed by the animal in her pouch, which is a special 

 temporary development, having been formed, a short time before the 

 egg is laid, by an overgrowth of a fold of the skin. The temperature 

 of this pouch is higher than that of the body generally, and thus aids 

 in the incubation of the egg. The young one has a hard pimple on its 

 snout, like the "egg-tooth" which can be seen on the bill of a newly- 

 hatched chicken, its purpose being similarly the breaking of the shell, 

 which is then removed from the pouch by the mother. 



She has no teats, but the milk oozes from the surface of the skin 

 and collects on tufts of hairs, which are sucked by the young one. 

 This, at birth, is very small, weak, and quite naked ; it remains in 

 the pouch till it is as big as one's fist, but the spines do not appear 

 till after the fur has grown. When caught at this age, it can be reared 

 on milk. 



As soon as it becomes prickly, the mother, probably finding it an 

 uncomfortable object to keep in her pocket, digs a burrow and puts it 

 there while she roams abroad. When at length she abandons it as 

 able to shift for itself, her pouch gradually shrinks away, not to re- 

 appear till the next breeding season. 



During the driest part of the year the creature falls into the state 

 of " aestivation," or summer sleep, which in some animals living in hot 

 dry countries, answers to the hibernation of some of those inhabiting 

 climates with a severe winter. The only enemy which seems to attack 

 the Echidna, other than man, is the Thylacine or Marsupial Wolf of 



