384 



The Living Animals of the World 



A distinguislu'ng foatuve wliicli the male platyjuis sliares in common with the echnida is 

 the peculiar spur developed on it^; hind foot. It is in this case, however, much larger and 

 sharper, and has been accredited with aggressive functions and poisonous properties. There can 

 be little doubt, however, that they are normally used by the animal only as clasping or retaining 

 instruments during intercourse with tlie female at the lireeding-season. At the same time, 

 undoubted cases of persons receiving severe wounds from tliese animals' spurs have been placed 

 on record. One such that fell witliin the writer's cognisance happened on the iMurray Kiver, 

 on the "Mctorian and New .South AVales boundary. A young fisher-lad, on taking up his nets, 

 found a half-drowned platypus entangled in them, and, whilst disengaging it, it convulsively 



Fhotu Ijii ))'. SavdU-Keat, F.Z.S.\ 



[MilJonl-oa-Sm. 



DUCK-IULLEJ) PLATYrUS. 

 This curious egg-l,ijing iiianiu;iil, the ouly repiesentiitivo uf its fiimily, is mainly iicicturnal in liabits. 



gripped his liand between the two spurs, tlie pomts penetrating dee^jly into the flesh on either 

 side. The result was a festering wound that refused to heal for many months, and for such 

 time entirely deprived the lad of his use of that hand. 



The fur of the platypus, dressed s(.i as to remove the outer and longer series of hairs, 

 nearly resembles that of the fur-seal in both colour and texture, and as a rare local product is 

 highly prized for the manufacture of carriage-rugs and other articles. 



With the egg-laying Echidna and Platypus we ternunate the jMammalian Series, and they 

 pave the way to the typical egg-laying animals which follow. 



End of Vol. I. 



