TASMAKIAN FAUNA, Europe, The poisonoas nature of a wound from the spur of the male was well known to the aborigines^ hut was diBputed bj some persons, although the oriiice in the Bpur indicated a purpose. Moreover, it was at certain periods only that venani was believed by the natives to be emitted.'"* The dog of fclie mainland was not found in the island. Most of the birds, and even the emu, were common in both places. The iish most highly prized by epicures— the trumpeter — was found only on the island coasts, and most frequently at the south ; but whitinj^:, flounders, and garlisli vindicated the excel le ace of the fish of the sea, while in the Murray and other rivers of Australia the cod'lisb, a gigantic perch, w^as esteemed by some as a delicacy. Snakes were so numerous that when Lady Franklin (the wife of a governor), to rid Tasmania of them, oifered a shilling for each snake killed, no less than 14,000 were produced in one year* Where lagoons abounded, and on moist margins of rivers hi Australia, snakes were always numerous. In both countries the hawk tribe destroyed them. One in Australia, a keen but small brown bird, ^ seemed to taku pleasure in the dann;erous sport. Darting B down, lit) seized the snake near the liead with his talons, ' and spreading his wings, the tips toivching the ground, with firm but (piivering tension, prevented the coils of the-] snake from involving him, and thus clutched his victim till I I I " Pi'ofeesor Owen was nntch interested when informed by the aulhor of an inatantti in which a motive was woniided in iha wr iat by tke spor nf the j>iiitypiisi. Faiiitness foUoweil, auU the arm and glands wure su oUeti for many days, A wasting of the aiMn succeede*!, and some weeka elapsed ^H before it leBunied its power. When recovered, the man asked the author^W if he wanted any skins of the phitypu8» as ko waa about to avenge hiniaelf. He aucce^^ded (going alone in a bark *3anoe) in kilhng several tn one Eifter- noon in the river Murnimbidgee, Professor W. H, Fhjwcr, in describing the platypus, wrote: — "Un the heel of the ina.le ia a strong, curved, sharply pointed, niovaljle, Iiorny spnr directed upwards and backwards, attached by its expanded base to the accessory bono of the tariaua. This spnr, which attains the length of nearly an inr:h, is traversed bv^ b. minute canal, terminating in a. fitie hmgitudinal slit near the point, and connected at its base with the tiuct of a hirge gland situated at the back ymrt of the thigh/* i I'he natives were so well acquainted with the |u>wer of the spur that they tioldoin SI1 Uered from it. The antliors friend was wounded while drawing to the edge of a canoe a platypus he had speared. A companion made a //ir^Kemont which nearly upset the canoe, and in lialaneing hiu frail bark the uHjt ivceivexi hia wound. He seeured his prey.
