easts
with bills like ducks; fish that hop about on dry land, and quadrupeds
that lay eggs.

The quadrupeds hitherto discovered, with very few exceptions, are all of
the kangaroo or opossum tribe; having their hinder legs long, out of all
proportion when compared with the length of the fore legs, and a sack
under the belly of the female for the reception of the young.

[Illustration]

They have kangaroo rats, and dogs of the jackal kind, all exactly alike;
and a little animal of the bear tribe, named the wombat, but the
largest quadruped at present discovered is the kangaroo.

These pretty nearly complete the catalogue of four-footed animals yet
known on this vast island.

There is, however, an animal which resembles nothing in the creation but
itself, and which neither belongs to beast, bird or fish.

This animal is called the Duck-billed Platypus.

[Illustration]

Of all the quadrupeds yet known, this seems the most extraordinary in
its conformation; exhibiting the perfect semblance of the beak of a duck
on the head of a quadruped.

The head is flattish, and rather small than large; the mouth or snout so
exactly resembles that of some broad-billed species of duck, that it
might be mistaken for one.

The birds and fish are no less singular than the beasts. There is a
singular fish, which when left uncovered by the ebbing of the tide,
leaps about like the grasshopper, by means of strong fins.

[Illustration]

The Moenura Superba, with its scalloped tail feathers, is perhaps the
most singular and beautiful of that elegant race of bird, known by the
name of Birds of Paradise.

Cockatoos, Parrots, and Parroquets, are innumerable, and of great
variety.

The Nonpareil Parrot is perhaps the most beautiful bird of the parrot
tribe in the whole world.

The Mountain Eagle is a magnificent creature; but the Emu, or New
Holland Cassowary, is perhaps the tallest and loftiest bird that exists.

[Illustration]

The capital of the colony, and the seat of the colonial Government is
Sydney. The Town of Sydney is beautifully situated in Sydney Cove, which
I told you is one of the romantic inlets of Port Jackson, about seven
miles from the entrance of the harbour. The headlands at the mouth of
the harbour form one of the grandest features in the natural scenery of
the country.

It is not, however, a distant or cursory glance that will give you a
just idea of the importance of this busy capital.

In order to form