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Show 162 MR. G. F. BENNETT ON ORNITHORHYNCHUS. [Mar. 6, commence my investigations. After arriving at our destination we went to the creek, and found a very fine water-hole, where, during the winter, Platypi are said to be very numerous; so, after going in the water, we discovered many holes in the banks, which we surmised were very probably burrows of the Water-Mole. On the 27th I went down, accompanied by Mr. Blakiston, to the water-hole we had visited on the previous evening, which was bordered by rocks on one side, but on the other by a high sandy bank. I then found a burrow, which I thought would repay the trouble of excavating ; so I set steadily to work and gradually opened it up. The burrow was about four by three inches in size, running all the way upwards in a serpentine direction ; and when I had 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 at the time that I had arrived at the end of the burrow; but on probing further on m y left, I found that it still ran on ; so I continued to dig until I had got about five feet further, when I found another chamber similar in size to the first, m y burrow still continuing to the left. I then proceeded with my digging, and did not reach the end until I had gone another ten feet, when to m y surprise and delight I found a chamber measuring 18 inches by 10 inches, and 8 inches in diameter, which contained a nest formed of dried grass, reeds, and gum-leaves (Eucalypti), evidently, from their blackened appearance, taken from under the water. In the nest were two young Platypi, probably about a month old. In the nest they were rolled up in a ball, with the tail lying flat on the beak, or rolled up with the tail covering the head, and the beak resting on the stomach or on the back, and with the right paw resting on the tail coiled up. They were very fat and plump, but without fur, of a greyish colour, and had a velvety appearance when the sun was shining upon them. The young ones measured five inches from the head to the tail. Their eyes were not opened fully, which satisfied me that they had never been out of the nest. I was very much disappointed at not finding the mother with them, as, when putting m y hand up the burrow after I had dug fifteen feet, 1 fancied I heard a kind of growl like that of a Koala ; but I must have been mistaken, as I searched the place well on the following day to ascertain if there was any sign of an opening where she could have escaped. " «On the 28th I brought the young ones home with m e and left them on their nest in m y room, when I observed that their favourite resting-position was lying on their backs, the beak resting on one of the fore feet, and the other stretched out. When handled they gave a shrill kind of hiss or whistle, resembling that of a young duck. I attempted to get them to suck, but without success. I used a feeding-bottle with a glove nipple made very small to suit the aperture of their throat. They were therefore three days without any food, but looked as well and as lively as on the day I took them from the nest; but they soon perished, and I have preserved them in spirits to send to Sydney. "'The sketch (fig. l,p. 163) will give a very good idea of this burrow |