398 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



enclosed in a fur bag, while its appearance, as it shuffles along, is so 

 quaint and unnatural that Dogs prefer barking at it to biting it, and 

 Cats fairly run away from it. The fur of the Platypus is thick and 

 soft, and composed of two sorts of hair, the under-fur being shorter, 

 while the end portions of the longer hairs are stouter. On the upper 

 part of the flattened tail, which, by the way, ends off squarely, not 

 tapering as tails usually do, the hair is coarser and stronger than else- 

 where, and the under-side of the tail is nearly naked in adult specimens, 

 though covered with fine silvery-white fur in the young. Young 

 animals also have the under-jaw white, this becoming mottled in the 

 old ones ; the under-part of the upper jaw, which is quite soft, is of a 

 flesh colour. As happens to some extent in the case of some of the 

 softer-billed Ducks, the beak loses considerably in appearance in the 

 dried specimens, becoming hard and leathery-looking. The bill is much 

 used by the beast in dressing its fur, and it also combs itself with the 

 claws of the hind-feet. 



Any one, on looking at this creature, could see at once that it 

 was aquatic in its habits, and, indeed, it is usually seen in the water, 

 where it swims well, propelling itself with the fore-paws, and with 

 the head only above the surface, the body being level with it. The 

 high position of the eyes in the head is an advantage to the animal 

 when swimming, but renders it liable to run against objects when 

 travelling on land, where it runs awkwardly, but rapidly enough. It 

 is, of course, a good diver, and seldom remains for long together on 

 the surface, while it is very shy, diving at once when alarmed, after 

 which it is hard to see it again. It is most active in the early morning 

 and the evening, and especially affects weedy places in the rivers. In 

 suitable localities the Platypus is widely distributed over Australia, 

 and it is found in Tasmania also. Its method of feeding is, as might 

 be expected, very similar to that of a Duck, and its food is the same 

 as that especially sought by those birds — water-snails and other shell- 

 fish, and small aquatic life generally. The cheeks are provided with 

 pouches, and these the animal fills with food before rising to the 

 surface to chew it with its teeth. The true teeth of young specimens 



