Marvels of the Universe 



519 



to which it apparently but seldom resorts — the edges of the webs of the front feet are represented 

 as projecting considerably beyond the claws, although it must be quite obvious that the creature 

 could not walk on slippery ground, much less burrow into river-banks, if such were really the case. 

 As a matter of fact, when the Platj'pus is out of the water, the edges of the front webs are folded 

 back beneath the soles of the feet, so as to leave the claws completelj^ free. 



In appearance, a Platypus may be likened to a very large and very fat mole (its length is from 

 eighteen to twenty inches), covered with coarse brownish fur, and having a duck's beak jammed 

 on to its muzzle, while its feet are webbed, and its eyes, although small, well developed. So strange- 

 looking is the association of a duck-like beak — at all events in dried specimens — with hair, that 

 there is little wonder the skins first brought to Europe were regarded as samples of those " faked " 

 animals so commonly manufactured in the Far East. To the man in the street the beak of the 

 Platypus may appear its most remarkable 

 feature ; and in a sense this is undoubtedly 

 the case, although the naturalist looks 

 upon it merely as an adaptive structure 

 designed to aid the animal in shovelling up 

 the river-shells and worms which form its 

 food, and in no sense comparable in 

 interest with its teeth, the structure of its 

 skeleton, and its egg-laying habit. Al- 

 though in museum specimens the skin of 

 the beak is hard, black and shrivelled, it is 

 stated to be quite soft and sensitive in life, 

 with the tip a pinkish flesh-colour. In the 

 young the beak is short. 



As incidentally mentioned, the Platypus 

 is an essentially aquatic animal, dividing 

 its time mainly between swimming in the 

 water and reposing in its burrow, which is 

 driven, with the entrance below water- 

 level, for a distance of from twenty to 

 forty, or even fifty, feet into the bank of 

 the river or pond inhabited by these 

 animals. There is usually an exit on land, 

 and the eggs are deposited on a layer of 

 grass in a chamber at the end. 



I'linlo hill ISir II. II. Johnston, C.C.M.G. 



THE SUPERB BIRD OF PARADISE. 

 In this form. wKich has a vivid emerald gorget, the most striking 

 adornment is a huge frill of feathers growing from the back of the 

 head and sides of the neck, and capable of erection something like 

 a peacock's tail coverts. The general tint of the plumage is deep 

 black, shot with lovely purples, chestnut-browns and deep greens. 



BIRDS OF PARADISE 



BY SIR HARRY JOHNSTON, G.C.M.G. 



All things considered, perhaps these are the greatest marvels of bird development and very likely 

 the latest achievements in time as regards avian evolution ; for the Paradise Birds are an out- 

 growth of the crow type, and this is one of the most highly-organized divisions of the Passerine 

 or Perching Birds. 



The crow-hke character of the Birds of Paradise is evident even to the eye of an untrained 

 observer in glancing at such forms as the Paradise Crows of New Guinea and Northern Australia. 

 All round the equatorial belt of the earth's land surface there are crow-like birds which have further 

 an affinity \vith the starlings, orioles, mainas, piping crows and hang-nests ; and from a group of 



