402 THE PLATYPUS. 



itself upon its back, fastens upon its enemy with 

 all its claws, sticks with great strength and per- 

 severance, and even after killing its invader, 

 which is sometimes the case, does not quit its 

 hold, but remains fastened upon it with vindic- 

 tive desperation. 



[THE PLATYPUS. 



THE Duck-billed Platypus was first noticed by 

 Dr Shaw, in his Naturalist's Miscellany ; but as 

 the animal there described was the only one 

 which had at that time been seen, it was difficult 

 to preserve the mind from entertaining some 

 doubts as to its genuine nature, and from surmis- 

 ing that some arts of deception in its structure 

 might have been practised. These suspicions, 

 however, are now satisfactorily removed ; other 

 specimens having been sent by Governor Hun- 

 ter from New Holland, (of which it is a native), 

 to Sir Joseph Banks. 



* " Of all the mammalia yet known, this seems 

 the most extraordinary in its conformation, exhi- 

 biting the perfect resemblance of the beak of a 

 duck engrafted on the head of a quadruped. So 

 accurate is the similitude, that at first view it 

 naturally excites the idea of some deceptive pre- 

 paration by artificial means ; the very epidermis, 

 proportion, serratures, manner of opening, and 



* Shaw's Zoology. 



