"The echidna is one of the world's most extraordinary creatures. It has often been called a 'living fossil' and a 'primitive' mammal because of its unique ability to lay eggs and produce milk. Relatives of these bizarre creatures were walking the earth before primates had descended from the trees. And yet echidnas and their fellow monotreme, the platypus, are exceedingly well adapted to their environmental niche." "This book describes the echidnas' lifestyle and the adaptations that have made it so biologically successful. Drawing on two centuries of scientific literature and years of devoted echidna research, the authors have come up with a fascinating book which will appeal not only to students of natural history but to the general reader. Accompanying the text are some remarkable anatomical illustrations by Anne Musser."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved