The Washington herald., 1922-11-26

would quickly climb out. When arrested
by Head Keeper Toomey il made no de-
cided resistance to being handled.
"When tired of feeding and showing
off, is would go up the water tunnel to its
imitation bank, wriggle through the holes
of its maze one by one, scraping off the
water on the rubber gaskets each time it
went through hole. Finally, on reach
ing Its nesting place in the fsrthest corner
it would curl up in its bed Of fine dry
hay, and rest. ,-
"The original home of our Piatypus was
in the Nancy River, New England Dis
trict, New South Wales, where it was
captured about March 1. 1922. II ieft
Sydney, on May IL, reached San Fran
cisco on June 80, and arrived in New
York on July livery tired and thin in
flesh. but full of spirit II died on Au-
gust 80, suddenly and Unexpectedly, and
because of the demands of science DR..
Blair refrained from making an autopsy
to ascertain the cause of death. The re-
mains were quickly turned over to che
College of Physicians and Surgeons for,
careful study.
'The Platypus is so odd and SO unique
that it deserves to occupy a mammalian
order all alone, but II has been elected,
from its egg-laying habit, to share the
Monotremata with the Echidna. To be-
gin with, it has the astounding ability r.
lay eggs, and hatch them by curtin
around them and giving them bodf-
warmth. The eggs number either one or
two, they are about three-quarters of an
inches long, and the shell is leathery in
texture.
''The newly-hatched Platypus appears
in October. II is only about one inch in
length, absolutely naked, and ii remains
hairless for the first two or three months
of its life. The mother should have a
good serviceable nipple an inch long, but
an reality she has none. and the young
animal is nourished by milk that seeps
through the skin. II is q tough infant
that can be nourished and reared on milk
procured by that very inadequate process
the worst on record. -
The broad, flat tail is naked below
but heavily haired above, and is very
useful in swimming.
''The fur is dark brown when dry and
dull black when wet. Il consists of I;
coarse outer coat and q line and dens
under coat that is SO much like "fu
that thousands of these animals have bee,
killed by fur-hunters. Occasionally, flss
Platypus skins are tucked into bales of
other fur from Australia - where ali
mammalian life is rapidly being swept
away.
"0ther unique features of the Platypus
are the broad and leatfrery duck-like bin,
the base of which is a leathery margin
that nicely covers the junction between
bill and fur. The front feet are fully
webbed, well beyond the ends Of the toes,
all of which is utilized in swimming. In
digging and climbing, this exposed margin
of leathery web is rolled under the toes
to give the claws a chance. The web ex.
tends half an inch beyond the ends of the
claws.
''The Platypus inhabits very few OF
the small and quiet interior rivers of Aus.
tralia, where II seeks its food in xh<
water, and at other times lives in a con
Portable bank burrow. One entrance h
the burrow is under the water, the othes
above it. The end of the burrow, /
formed into q comfortable chamber
wherein a nest of dry leaves is main
tanned" ..