THE PLATYPUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20264, 25 May 1929, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE PLATYPUS.

This little creature, which is o:ily to bo found iu Australia, is one of this most strange and wonderful living things in the world. It is about 18 inches long, covered with dark-brown fur, and has four webbed feet. The broad, flat tail, heavily haired- above, is also very useful in swimming The ability of the pLitypus to lay eggs and suckle it's young is marvellous. Another unique feat are of this little creature is its broad, iejithery, duck-like bill. The platypus rarely leaves its native haunts, living in the rivers, and sleeping in burrows " in the banks. For its food it eats grub, worms, and very small shrimps and will sometimes eat as much as half its own weight, lglb. The first platypus ever landed alive in a foreign country lived for 49 days. They are the most difficult of all creatures to keep alive in captivity. It was an object of great interest to the visitors, but, as it was so shy and nervous, it was ogen to them for one hour a day only. —Alice Hirst, Kauri, via En,mo.