VoL. J. 
1-. 6 The Queensland Naturalist. 
parous, as Mr. W. H. Caldwell’s exhaustive reseax’ches 
in 1884 went a long way to prove that. He had everything 
ready to hand, as by the earlier observations of others, 
the breeding season was well known. 
The first young Echidna sent to England were 
obtained by Lieutenant the Honourable Lauderdale Manle, 
R.N., on the banks of the Fish River, N.S. Wales, and 
were by him sent to Dr. Hume Weatherhead, who gave 
them to Professor Owen, and they formed the subject 
of a most interesting communication to the Zoological 
Society on May 27th. 1834:. 
My father, the late Dr. George Bennett, took up the 
subject after consultation with his friend. Professor Owen, 
and arrived in Sydney in May, 1832. He did not lose 
much time, as in the following September he commenced 
his operations in the Yass district, and was rewarded by 
getting a female, with two young ones, a male and a female, 
which he eventually got to Sydney. The old one died 
very shortly after its arrival, but the young ones survived 
for about six or seven weeks. It was most interesting 
to observe these youngsters. Sometimes they wmuld sleep 
in the place made for them, but suddenly, from some un- 
accountable caprice, they would shift their resting place, 
and seek repose behind a box or in some dark corner in 
preference to their former habitation. About dusk they 
would come out and eat their food, which consisted of 
bread soaked in ivater. chojxped egg, and meat minced 
very hue.”* 
In 1876 I took up the subject, and carried out my 
observations on the Lockyer. near Helidon, on the property 
of the late Mr. E. Marwedel. There were a good many 
Platypi in a large hole on this property, where I searched 
for the entrance to their burrows, which w'as very difficult 
to find. However, after some time I ivas successful. The 
entrance w^as about three feet from the w'ater level, and 
about four by three inches in size, and running upwards 
by a serpentine course ; wdien I got about five feet from 
the entrance. I came to a chamber on the right hand side, 
twelve inches in length by six inches high and eight inches 
in diameter. I thought I had arrived at the end of the 
burrowg but on probing further on my left, I found that 
it still ran on, so I continued to aig until I had got about 
five feet further, when I found a chamber similar in size 
to the first, my burrow still continuing to the left. I then 
proceeded with my digging, and did not reach the end until 
I had got another ten feet, when to my delight I found a 
<3hamber measuring eighteen inches by ten inches and eight 
inches in diameter, which contained a nest formed of dried 
grass, reeds and gum leaves, evidently from their blackened 
* Bennett Proceedings Zoological Society, 1834. 
