666 QUADRUPEDS. 



it might be mistaken for such ; round the base is a flat circular 

 membrane, somewhat deeper or wider below than above ; viz. be- 

 low near the fifth of an inch, and above about an eighth. The 

 tail is flat, furry like the body, rather short and obtuse, with an 

 almost bifid termination ; it is broader at the base, and gradually 

 lessens to the tip, and is about three inches in length: its colour 

 is similar to that of the body. The length of the whole animal, 

 from the tip of the beak to that of the tail, is thirteen inches ; of the 

 beak an inch and half. The legs are very short, terminating in a 

 broad web, which on the fore. feet extends to a considerable dis- 

 tance beyond the claws ; but on the hind-feet reaches no farther 

 than the roots of the claws. On the fore-feet are five claws, 

 strait, strong, and sharp. pointed ; the two exterior ones somewhat 

 shorter than the three middle ones. On the hind-feet are six 

 claws, longer and more inclined to a curved form, than those of 

 the fore-feet; the exterior toe and claw are considerably shorter 

 than the four middle ones ; the interior or sixth is seated much 

 higher up than the rest, and resembles a strong sharp spur. All 

 the legs are hairy above ; the fore feet are naked both above and 

 below; but the hind-feet are naked above and hairy below. The 

 internal edges of the under mandible (which is narrower than the 

 upper), are serrated or channelled with numerous striae, as in a 

 duck's bill. The nostrils are small and round, and are situated 

 about a quarter of an inch from the tip of the bill, and are about 

 the eighth of an inch distant from each other. There is no ap- 

 pearance of teeth ; the palate is removed, but seems to have re- 

 sembled that of a duck ; the tongue also is wanting in the specimen. 

 The ears or auditory foramina are placed are placed about half an 

 inch beyond the eyes ; they appear like a pair of oval holes, of the 

 eighth of an inch in diameter, there being no external ear. On 

 the upper part of the head, on each side, a little beyond the beak, 

 are situated two smallish oval white spots, in the lower part of each 

 of which are imbedded the eyes, or at least the parts allotted to 

 the animal for some kind of vision ; for, from the thickness of the 

 fur and the smallness of the organs, they seem to have been but 

 obscurely calculated for distinct vision, and are probably like 

 those of moles, and some other animals of that tribe j or perhaps 

 even subcutaneous ; the whole apparent diameter of the cavity in 

 which they were placed not exceeding the tenth of an inch. 



" When we consider the general form of this animal, and parti- 



