Spiny Ant-eaters.

Echidna.

E. hystrix. New South Wales, Victoria, South and West Australia, and Queensland.

E. setosa. Tasmania.

The Spiny Ant-eaters have a wide distribution all over the Australian Continent; they abound, however, more on the east coast, and reach north as far as Cape York.

The Hairy Ant-eater is a variety inhabiting Tasmania.

Professor Owen has written some interesting papers on the Monotremes, and proved the existence of two cavities or pouches, without the usual nipple, in which the young are confined, the milk draining into these cavities from the mammary glands. It has been stated by a close observer that these animals are plentiful in winter and spring in certain districts, but that they disappear in summer. Our informant thinks they live underground. Anteaters experience little inconvenience with 4 or 5 feet of earth above them, and it takes fully half-an-hour to drown one. The young of these creatures are exceedingly rare. They feed on ants, ant-eggs, and probably on grass also, as some of it was found in their stomachs on several occasions.

Duck-bills.

Ornithorhynchus.

O. anatiuus.

Australia generally, is the habitat of this curious creature, which, though plentiful, is still very little known as regards its economy, propagation, &c. Dr. Bennett discovered the young of a Platypus 30 years ago, but very few, if any, specimens have since been obtained, and no further progress has been made towards the solution of the still pending and highly interesting physiological question—Does the Platypus lay eggs?