THE DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS 
209 
surface near shore, a little farther out, or deep water, and have 
varied the coarseness of the sediment thrown down accordingly. 
We must go to the Bay of Naples, with its volcanic mud mixed 
with sea-shells, or to the flanks of Etna, if we want to realise the 
thrusting of sheets of molten lava between previously existing 
rocks. As Mr. Mills’ section represents such interstratification 
of “igneous” rock with shale in the Silurian series near Llanrwst, 
this Itttle bit of Welsh geology takes us in imagination far afield. 
THE DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS. 
[HE platypus (otherwise duck-mole, water-mole, mole- 
beaver, &c.) is, without doubt, the strangest animal 
at present discovered. Its body is covered with 
beaver-like fur, its fore-feet are webbed, its tail flat- 
tened ; and lastly, it possesses a bill like that of a duck, from 
which it takes its trivial name. 
Oniithorrhyuchus aiiatinus, for this is its technical name, is the 
sole representative of its family and genus. It is found only in 
Australia, where it is, unfortunately, receding before the rapid 
growth of civilised life. 
A glance at the platypus will suffice to show how well it is 
adapted for an aquatic life. It is an excellent diver and 
swimmer, making little or no splash in the water. It chases 
water insects, which largel}' constitute its food, with great agility. 
The skin is very flexible and loose when the animal is alive, 
though it quickly shrinks and hardens after death : it is at the 
same time so strong as to resist even shot. 
When on land the platypus takes after the mole, in that it is 
a subterranean engineer, and to this end its hind feet are directed 
backwards. Its tunnels are often of great length and are termi- 
nated by a roomy nest lined with dead leaves, twigs and rushes. 
The male has a spur on the hind foot, which has not satis- 
factorily been accounted for. The female also possesses it when 
young, but it disappears at an early age. 
The young are produced from eggs, generally two in number. 
When first born the young duck-bills have “ teeth,” if they can 
be so called, but these have nothing in common with the ordi- 
nary mammalian teeth and soon disappear. 
Thanks to the advent of the white man to our Australian 
Colonies, the numbers of the duck-bill are steadily decreasing, 
and if they continue to do so there is danger of extermination at 
no very distant date. 
In conclusion, I may say that the extermination of such an 
animal would be a serious loss to science, and therefore, since it 
is wholly inoffensive to man, every step ought to be taken 
towards its protection. 
W. Roy.\t Dawson. 
