. A manual of zoology for the use of students : with a general introduction on the principles of zoology . Zoology. 528 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. thorhynchus and Echidna—the one represented by a single species {O. paradoxus), and the other by two species {E. hystrix and E. seiosa). All are exclusively confined to Aus- tralia and Tasmania. The Ornithorhynchus'01 Duck-mole is one of the most ex- traordinary of Mammals. The body (fig. 203) resembles that of a mole or small otter, and is covered with a close, short, brown fur. The tail is broad and flattened. The jaws are produced to form a beak just lik
. A manual of zoology for the use of students : with a general introduction on the principles of zoology . Zoology. 528 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. thorhynchus and Echidna—the one represented by a single species {O. paradoxus), and the other by two species {E. hystrix and E. seiosa). All are exclusively confined to Aus- tralia and Tasmania. The Ornithorhynchus'01 Duck-mole is one of the most ex- traordinary of Mammals. The body (fig. 203) resembles that of a mole or small otter, and is covered with a close, short, brown fur. The tail is broad and flattened. The jaws are produced to form a beak just like that of a duck in appearance; hence the name of ". Duck-billed animal^" often applied to it. The margins of the jaw are sheathed with horn, and furnished with transverse horny plates; but there are no teeth. The. 1} Fig. 2O2-—0rtiiihorhynchus paradoxus. sternum is of five pieces, not counting in the episternum, and there are sternal ribs. The nostrils are placed at the apex of the upper mandible. The legs are short, and the feet have five toes each, furnished with strong claws, which enable the animal to burrow with faciUty. The toes are also united by a membrane or web, so that the animal swims with great ease. The Ornithorhynchus is exclusively found in Australia and Tasmania, and inhabits streams and ponds. Its food consists chiefly, if not exclusively, of insects, and the animal makes very extensive burrows on the banks of the rivers which it fre- quents. The young are born quite blind, and nearly naked, and the method in which they obtain milk from the mother is somewhat obscure, as there are no nipples, nor is there any marsupial pouch. It is certain, however, that the beak of the young animal is extremely different from what it is in the adult condition. The young animal is totally hairless, the mandibles are soft and flexible, the tongue is not placed far back in the mouth (as it is in the adult), and the eye is at first covered by the skin. The genus Ec
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