30 



THE BEAK. 



QQ>vy pulp, the finer portion is sucked up through these tooth- 

 like lines ; what it chooses is retained, the rest being thrown 

 out and washed away by the rapid clattering motion of the 

 flat bill. As a further help, enabling them to judge what is 

 an agreeable and proper food, these birds are furnished with an 

 additional supply of delicate nerves, extending to the very end 

 of the beak ; hence it has been conjectured that they have 

 some sense of taste, of which birds in general are supposed to 

 be destitute. That this is the use for which these additional 

 nerves are designed, may be further gathered from the accurate 

 examination of a bill, much resembling a Duck's, belonging 

 to one of the most extraordinary animals in the world, found 

 only in New South Wales. It is called the "Duck-billed 



Duck-billed Platypus. 



Holland Slioveler. 



Platypus j " having the beak of a duck, the body of an animal, 

 and the feet webbed, and furnished also with strong claws. 

 As it lives under ground generally, its eyes are like the mole's, 

 so small as nearly to prevent its seeing. It depends, therefore, 

 in great measure, upon the sense of feeling and smelling, and 

 tasting belonging to the beak, for its livelihood ; and accordingly 

 it is found, that throughout the whole beak, and more especially 

 at its extremities, there is a fine nervous tissue which renders 

 it as sensible as the tongue for the taste, or the fingers for the 

 touch, and the nose for smelling. 



There is a Duck closely allied to our Shovelers, whose beak 

 has a curious addition — certain flaps or loose projections— of 

 * Anas melanorhynchos. 



