ORNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 313 



the tip, 1 inch 2 hnes ; length of tail, 5 inches ; 

 width, 2^ inches ; length of fore-foot to end of 

 claws, 1 inch 10 lines; of hind-foot to end of claws, 

 2 inches 8 lines ; length of spur rather more than 

 half an inch. 



Several species of Ornithorhynchus are enumerated 

 in Zoological works. In the " Voyage de Decouverts 

 Sec." by Peron, we find two Ornithorkpichi charac- 

 terized and figured under the names 0. fuscus and 

 0. rufiis. These species M. Temminck and some 

 other authors regard as distinct; there are others, 

 however, who do not consider them well established. 

 The animal I have described agrees in its colouring 

 with the 0. fuscus ; the 0. rufus, it would appear, 

 differs chiefly in being of a brighter and richer brown. 

 Desmarest says the 0. fuscus is pei'haps only a variety 

 of the 0. rufus., " cependant son poil differe en ce 

 qu'il est aplati et crepu, au lieu d'etre comme celui 

 de ce dernier animal, mince et lisse." Now in speci- 

 mens before me I find such a difference — two bright 

 reddish-brown individuals differ from several others 

 of a darker and less bright colour, in having the fur 

 longer and less crisp ; the points of the hairs are all 

 directed backwards whilst in the dull brown speci- 

 mens the fur has a grizzled appearance, the hairs 

 being pointed in various directions. The rufous 

 specimens are smaller than the others, and have a 

 much stouter spur and narrower beak; the under 

 parts of the head and body are almost white. A 

 specimen in the British Museum, said to be the 

 original of Shaw's description, is evidently the 0. 

 rufus — supposing the two species to be distinct. 



