anated from the brutally coarse expressions of a Human. My name
is Ornithorhyncus Paradoxus. Besides, even if my front feet can
expand, they can also contract; see! as narrow and refined as a bird's
claw. Observe, too, that my hind feet are narrow, and like a seal's
fin, though it has been described as a mole's foot."

As the Platypus spoke, and thrust out its strangely different feet, the
Kangaroo edged a little closer to Dot and whispered in her ear. "It's
getting angry, and is beginning to use long words; do be careful what
you say or it will be terrible!"

"I beg your pardon," said Dot; "I did not wish to hurt your feelings,
Para--Pa--ra--dox--us."

"ORNITHORHYNCHUS Paradoxus, if you please," insisted the little
creature. "How would you like it if your name was Jones-Smith-Jones,
and I called you one Jones, or one Smith, and did not say both the
Joneses and the Smiths? You have no idea how sensitive our race is.
You Humans have no feelings at all compared with ours. Why, my fifth
pair of nerves are larger than a man's! Humans get on my nerves
dreadfully!" it ended in disgusted accents.

"She did not mean to hurt you," said the gentle Kangaroo, soothingly.
"Is there anything we can do to make you feel comfortable again?"

"There is nothing you can do," Sighed the Platypus, now mournful and
depressed. "I must sing. Only music can quiet my nerves. I will
sing a little threnody composed by myself, about the good old days of
this world before the Flood." And as it spoke, the Platypus moved into
an upright position amongst the tussock grass, and after a little cough
opened its bill to sing.

The Kangaroo kept very close to Dot, and warned her to be very
attentive to the song, and not to interrupt it on any account. Almost
before the Kangaroo had ceased to whisper in her ear, Dot heard this
strange song, sung to the most peculiar tune she had ever heard, and in
the funniest of little squeaky voices.

The fairest Iguanodon reposed upon the shore
Extended lay her beauteous form, a hundred feet and more.
The sun, with rays flammivomous, beat on the blue-black sand;
And sportive little Saurians disported on the strand
But oft the Iguanodon reproved them in their glee,
And said, "Alas! this Saurian Age is not what it should be!"

Then, forth from that archaic sea, the Ichthyosaurus
Uprose upon his finny wings, with neocomian fuss,
"Oh, Iguanodon!" he cried, as he approached the shore,