30 THE BEAK. 



extraordinary animals in the world, found only in New South 

 Wales. It is called the " Duck-billed Platypus;" 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 espe- 

 cially 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 al- 

 lied to our Shovelers, whose 

 beak has a curious addition 

 certain flaps or loose projections 

 of which the annexed figure 

 will give a better idea than any 

 , description. It is found in Aus- 

 tralia, but its habits are little 

 known. 



New Holland Shoveler.* In the Goosander, which in 



other respects partakes much of 



the nature of Ducks, these rows of tooth-like lines are 

 harder, and very much resemble the teeth of a saw, extend- 

 ing along the edge of the beak ; thus enabling it to secure 

 even eels and fish, of which it destroys great numbers, and 

 which would, but for this addition, make their escape and 

 slip away from a surface unprovided with means of holding 

 them fast. The bill of the Ehynchops or Skimmer, which 

 collects its food floating on the surface of the waves as it 

 swims across the ocean, is another very curious instance of 

 contrivance. In most species it will be observed, that the 

 upper part of the beak is much larger, and covers the lower 

 part, but in this bird the contrary takes place; for the lower 

 jaw or mandible of the beak is much larger than the upper, 



* Anas Melanorhynchos, 



