At Goulburn Plains, the natives brought me a young living specimen of this animal, which they had just caught upon the ranges: they called it “Jannocumbine,” and fed it upon ants and ants’ eggs. It was often taken to an ant-hill, to provide itself with food: from being so young, it had an unsteady walk, and was covered with short sharp spines, projecting above the fur. On expressing a fear to the natives of not being able to keep it alive, they replied that “it would not now die, as it had prickles on:” meaning, I suppose, that it could feed and provide for itself, not requiring the fostering care of its parents. On asking whether it was a male or female, they examined the hind feet for the spurs, and, seeing them, declared it to be a male. It sleeps during the day, running about and feeding at night. Its movements are tardy, the principal exertions being made when burrowing. When touched upon the under surface, or uncovered parts of its body, or when attacked by dogs, it rolls, like the hedge-hog, into a spherical form, the prickly coat forming a good defence against the canine race, who have a decided aversion to have their noses pricked. When attacked, it has been known to burrow to a great depth in a surprising short period of time. I do not think that either this animal, from its coat not bearing caresses, or the large lizard, called Guana, from its repulsive form, will ever be admitted into the nursery of favourite animals by the ladies of the colony. The _Echidna_ is eaten by the natives, who declare it to be “cobbong budgeree” (very good,) “and, like pig, very fat.” Europeans who have eaten of them, confirm this opinion, and observe that they taste similar to a sucking pig. This animal, when scratching, or rather cleaning itself, uses only the hind claws, lying in different positions, so as to enable it to reach the part of the body to be operated upon. The animal is pentadactyle, the two first claws of the hind feet being long, the first the longest; that of the great toe the shortest: they seem to have the power of erecting their spines, and, rolling themselves into a spherical form, making an excellent defence against many of their enemies.