ON THE SKULL OF THE ECHIDNA FROM QUEENSLAND. 



413 



Mr. E. B. Kennedy records the capture of a Tachyglossus at 

 Plain Creek, in lat. 21° south, xlnd, from information derived 

 from one of my troopers, I am of opinion that it will be found 

 on the Leichardt ranges, as also throughout the length and 

 breadth of the Cape- York peninsula. The New- Guinea forms 

 will, I think, vary (perhaps only slightly) from our Australian 

 types, judging by Mr. Eamsay's description of Tachyglossus 

 laivesii (Proc. Linn. Soc. New S. Wales, 26 March, 1877). 



I forward, under separate cover, the head of an adult female 

 killed at Georgetown, for comparison with the New-Guinea and 

 South-Australian types. 



I have not, as yet, been able to secure specimens of the Orni- 

 thorhynchus ; but I watched one swimming about in a large water- 

 hole situated 150 miles west of Georgetown on the road to Nor- 

 manton. I distinctly saw this animal's head and bill above water, 

 but was unable to capture it, as it dived on hearing the pack- 

 horses trotting up to the hole to drink. My boys inform me 

 that they saw this " funny fellow " in the Upper Herbert ; and it 

 occurs on the Leichardt river. The extreme northern limit is 

 therefore at present formed by the 18° of south latitude. 



The absence of Tachyglossus on the Plinders and Gilbert river- 

 plains is easily accounted for by the absence of scrubs and hills, 

 or rocks, under which they generally burrow. It never comes out 

 to feed except during the night : and when attacked, simply rolls 

 itself into a spiny ball. Pour men, by taking one claw each, 

 had considerable difficulty in stretching one out. They resemble 

 a hedgehog in outward appearance, but are much darker. 



Eemarks on the Skull of the Echidna from Queensland. 

 By Dr. J. Mueie, P.L.S. 



[Eead June 20, 1878.] 



Along with his paper, Capt. W. E. Armit was good enough 

 to forward to the Society a roughly cleaned dried skull of 

 the Echidna obtained by him, to which the following label 

 was attached : " Head of Tachyglossus {histrix ?) $ , killed near 

 Georgetown, in 18° S. lat., Nov. 1876." As, moreover, he has ex- 

 pressed a desire that it should be compared with those of South 

 Australia and New Guinea, I have fulfilled this wish so far as 

 circumstances permitted. 



