Platypus

Dear Reader,

When casting around for something beginning with P that inspired me I struggled. My notes and scribbles  about this challenge compiled in various places had no spark to ignite me.  As I write this paragraph it is getting late, so once again I am burning the late night oil. Then it came to me... platypus!

It's such a gorgeous word and it's such a great animal. The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal, a resident of Eastern Australia. That simple statement doesn't really do the platypus justice.

He's a cutie, if a little bonkers. His name is Patrick. 

Some platypus facts:

• The platypus is one of only five species of egg-laying mammal.
• The platypus has a bill like a duck.
• The platypus has webbed feet like an otter.
• The platypus has a tail like a beaver.
• The platypus is venomous.

It's one mixed-up puppy basically. It's almost like [insert major deity here] had decided that he / she had finished the big job of creation and decided to kick back and have a few beers. Then he / she realised there were some animal bits left over, sprinkled them over Eastern Australia and this was what came out. How [insert major deity here] must have laughed with his / her mates when they beheld what had been created. I can't imagine how long they must have pondered over the name.

When the first specimen was borrowed from Australia and brought to England scientists thought that the platypus was some sort of practical joke and you can sort of see why.

Whilst browsing for more photos of the platypus, of which there are sadly few, I found this little fella, who is not the spiny platypus, he is in fact an echidna.

An echidna. His name is Eric.

I was a little confused as to why I would find a picture of this chap mixed in with numerous pictures of pet dogs savaging plush platypus toys. Remember there were only five species of egg laying mammals? Well, one is the platypus and echidnas account for other four. Echidnas are also resident of Australia, the land that proudly brings to you every crazy animal you could ever think of and spiders that hide in toilets waiting to bite your bum. This would be some more of the left-over bits sprinkled around after the [insert major deity here]'s post creation party.

Who thought I would end up writing a post regarding the only living species of egg-laying mammals? I am beginning to question my own sanity.

On the subject of questioning Dear Reader, tomorrow I will be doing just that to the letter Q.

xx