No-yang or Eel.
The eel is mostly found in weedy places. It goes up the rivers to put its young ones; sometimes it goes out into the sea—generally in the summer-time. Blacks think they go to sea to hide themselves, because they like to stop in weedy or deep places. The eel feeds upon little fish, and will eat young eels and also shrimps or crabs.
Thurrung or Snake.
There are many different kinds of snakes. There is the Ninballa nark, or black-backed snake; the Thurrung, or grey snake; and the Galang, a small red-looking snake. The snake has a good many eggs—about ten. When the young ones come out of the eggs, they go down the mother's throat, for sometimes blackfellow finds them inside the mother when he kills the snake. The snake makes a hole in the ground; some get into a hole in a tree; and some go up very high trees. Snakes like a place where there is plenty of grass. When a snake bites any one, he leaves his tooth in the place where he bites. Blackfellow can get cured of the bite of the snake by the black doctor singing over him. Many blackfellows have been saved in that way.
Habits of Native Animals, according to accounts given to the Rev. A. Hartmann by the natives of Lake Hindmarsh:—
The Platypus.
The platypus lives both on the land and in the water. It can keep under water a long time, say half an hour. It burrows holes into the bank of the river, some ten or fifteen feet, slanting towards the surface of the ground, branching off on either side in short passages, with a nest here and there. The nests are made of layers of rushes and grass. They cast their young ones in autumn, and give them suck. They have from six to ten young ones, which are grown up towards the end of winter, when they are taken out by the mother and taught to shift for themselves. They live chiefly on small cray-fish and other fish. They dive for the fish and catch them in their claws. When leaving the hole in search of food, they cover the entrance with clay: in fact, it is always kept closed. They appear to come out only in the morning and evening, except in cloudy or rainy weather, when they are seen during the day. When attacked, the platypus defends itself with its claws.[1]
- ↑ The Ornithorhyncus is an ovoviviparous animal, and suckles its young. Its burrow and nest are made much in the way described by the natives. It usually feeds in the mud at the bottom of streams, where it finds very small shell-lish, river insects, river weeds, &c. When engaged in feeding, it uses its mandibles in the same manner as a duck. It is stated by naturalists that the spur is not used as a weapon of offence, and that a scratch given by the spur causes no such effects as those described by the natives of Lake Tyers. It is not likely, however, that the natives would make a mistake in such a matter. A recent case of poisoning is mentioned as having occurred near Jerry's Plains, in the Maitland district. A man whilst fishing in the river found a platypus entangled in his net, and in attempting to disengage it, the animal, it is said, struck its spur into his forefinger. The wound caused intense pain, the hand and arm became swollen; and medical aid was sought. The sufferer was treated as for snake-poisoning, and recovered.
