Mr. Hill on the Oniilhorkynchus jtaradojcus. 9 



OrnithorJnjnchus. On examination, soon after it was killed, 

 I observed near the extremity of the convex side of the spur, 

 a minute spot, like the orifice of a tube ; and on endeavouring 

 to pass a bristle from this spot, three successive drops of a 

 limpid clear fluid issued trom it. I then examined the other 

 spur with the same result. On dissecting the foot of the animal, 

 1 found at the inner side of the root of the spur, immediately 

 over the articulation, a small cyst, which I cut into ; it did not 

 at that time contain any fluid ; but from it I with great ease 

 passed a horse-hair through the spur. This preparation I 

 liave sent to you, together with the dried cyst.' 



" You will also be pleased to learn, that I have been for- 

 tunate enough to get an impregnated female of this interest- 

 ing animal. I give you another extract from my notes : 

 ' Bathurst, Oct. 1 3. — After -breakfast went with Mr. Scott to 

 examine a hole, where we had been told that a wounded Or- 

 nithorliynchus had taken refuge, and which we hoped might 

 pi'ove to be the animal's nest ; but on digging we found it to 

 be that of a rat. On returning, however, we were gratified in 

 finding that a female OniitJiorhynchus had been brought in 

 alive, having been found on its nest in a lagoon near Campbell's 

 River, by Mr. Rawley, who says that he was obliged to tear 

 the nest to pieces before he could get the animal out, the nest 

 being formed of reeds and rushes, with a long tube or entrance 

 into it, out of which the bill of the animal only was visible. 

 The animal was placed in a bucket of water, in which it seemed 

 to enjoy itself for some time, occasionally getting on its back 

 in the water to scratch its head with the hind foot. The eyes 

 are small and prominent, of a muddy-brown colour, with blue 

 pupil, and are situated immediately behind the skinny flap at 

 the base of the bill. After a short time it did not seem to like 

 being in the water, and therefore it was taken out ; a string 

 was tied round the leg, and it v\as allowed to go on the grass, 

 where it crawled along, seemingly with difliculty. It appeared 

 to like having its head scratched, as it allowed me to do so 

 without moving. Oct. 14-. — Found the Orniiltorhtjnchiis nearly 

 dead, and proceeded to examine its structure. The tectum, 

 vagina^ and urinary bladiler, have one common orifice. On 

 oj)ening the abdomen I was nuich gratified to find in the left 

 ovarium a round yellow ovum, about the size of a small pea. 

 There were also two of smaller size, and an inunense number 

 of ininute vesicles, hardly perceptible to the eye, but distinctly 

 visible undei' the microscope. There was no utei us, nor any 

 viscus similar to it, but only a tube leading up from the cloaca, 

 which divided into two ducts leading to the ovaries, similar 

 in situation to the Fallojiian tubes of vivijiarous animals, but 



Vol. Gl. No, 297. Jan. 1823. B much 



