THE  ORNITHORHYNCHUS  PARADOXUS. 
255 
The  young  animals  sleep  in  various  postures ;  sometimes  in  an  extended  position, 
and  often  rolled  up  like  a  hedgehog  in  the  form  of  a  ball.  They  formed  an  interesting 
group,  lying  in  varied  attitudes  in  the  box  in  which  I  had  placed  them,  and  seeming 
happy  and  content.  Thus,  for  instance,  one  lies  curled  up  like  a  dog,  keeping  its  beak 
warm  with  the  flattened  tail,  which  is  brought  over  it ;  while  the  other  lies  stretched  on 
its  back,  the  head  resting  by  way  of  a  pillow  upon  the  body  of  the  old  one,  which  lies  on 
its  side,  with  the  back  resting  against  the  box;  the  delicate  beak  and  smooth  clean  fur  of 
the  young  contrasting  with  the  rougher  and  dirtier  appearance  of  the  older  one,  all  fast 
asleep.  At  another  time  they  might  be  seen,  a  curious-looking  group,  one  lying  on 
its  back  with  outstretched  paws,  another  on  its  side,  and  the  third  coiled  or  rolled  up 
in  the  form  of  a  ball.  They  shift  themselves  from  one  position  to  another,  as  they  may 
feel  fatigued  by  lying  long  in  the  first ;  but  the  favourite  posture  of  the  young  animals 
appears  to  be  lying  rolled  up  like  a  ball.  This  is  effected  by  the  fore  paws  being  placed 
under  the  beak,  with  the  head  and  mandibles  bent  down  towards  the  tail,  the  hind  paws 
crossed  over  the  mandibles,  and  the  tail  turned  up  ;  thus  completing  the  rotundity  of 
the  figure.  One  of  the  figures  in  the  plate  displays  the  appearance  of  the  animal  in  this 
posture,  when  the  tail  is  pulled  down,  which  can  be  done  without  disturbing  it ;  and  it 
may  be  closed  again  like  the  lid  of  a  snuff-box  i . 
Although  furnished  with  a  good  thick  coat  of  fur,  they  still  seemed  particular  about 
being  kept  warm  and  comfortable.  They  would  allow  me  to  smooth  their  fur  ;  but  if 
the  mandibles  Avere  touched  they  darted  away  immediately,  those  parts  appearing  to  be 
remarkably  sensitive.  I  could  permit  the  young  to  run  about  the  room  as  they  pleased; 
but  the  old  specimen  was  so  restless,  and  damaged  the  Avails  of  the  room  so  much  by 
attempts  at  burrowing,  that  I  was  obliged  to  keep  her  close  prisoner  in  the  box,  where 
during  the  day  she  would  remain  quiet,  huddled  up  with  the  young  ones,  but  at  night 
would  become  very  restless,  and  eager  to  escape  from  her  place  of  confinement.  A 
general  growl  would  issue  forth  from  the  group  if  disturbed  when  asleep. 
There  are  a  number  of  persons,  both  born  in  Australia  and  long  resident  there,  who 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  shooting  the  Water-Moles,  but  who  had  no  idea  that  they  inha- 
bited burrows  in  the  banks  ;  and  many  even  of  those  who  were  aware  that  they  resided 
in  burrows,  because  the  natives  had  told  them  so,  still  had  no  conception  of  their  form 
and  extent.  The  opinion  of  many  was  that  they  inhabited  the  water  only,  concealing 
themselves  at  the  bottom  of  the  rivers,  and  rising  occasionally  to  the  surface  to  play 
about,  and  to  take  in  a  supply  of  atmospheric  air  previous  to  their  re-descent.  This 
belief  had  induced  some  of  them  when  they  had  obtained  a  living  specimen  to  plunge  it 
instantly  into  a  tub  of  water.  If  the  tub  was  half  filled  with  water,  they  were  surprised 
afterwards  to  find  the  animal  dead ;  and  if  the  tub  was  filled  nearly  to  overflowing, 
equally  surprised  to  find  that  it  had  escaped.    I  have  always  observed,  when  a  living 
'  See  Plate  xxxiv.  for  sketches  of  the  different  positions  of  the  animal  when  feeding,  asleep,  cleaning 
itself,  &c. 
