396 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



Tasmania, which appears to be able to overcome it as the Fox and 

 Badger with us do the Hedgehog. 



The Echidna is not difficult to keep in captivity, feeding on minced 

 raw meat, chopped hard-boiled egg, and milk; probably a mixture of 

 dried "Ants' eggs" and dried "Flies," as used for insectivorous birds, 

 would be a beneficial addition to this diet. Only the typical Australian 

 race has been exhibited in this country at the time of writing. 



THE THREE-TOED ECHIDNA 



(Proechidna bruijni) 



Besides a local race of the ordinary Echidna, there exists in New 

 Guinea a very distinct species. In this animal the muzzle is much 

 longer than in the common kind, and is curved downwards. The body 

 is' much more furry than in the Australian Echidna, and is less spiny, 

 thus recalling the Tasmanian race. But the most notable distinction 

 is the fact that there are only three toes on each foot — though this is 

 not invariable, for sometimes others are developed on a small scale, 

 and a specimen has been found with five toes on the fore-feet and 

 four on the hinder pair. In size this creature is larger than the 

 Common Echidna. 



