THE DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS. 53 



their feet is not formed for walking on land. The foot 

 is broad and webbed, the hind one turned outwards, and 

 the male has a sharp spur on it, which is said to be 

 poisonous : I fancy not. The eyes are scarcely percep- 

 tible, and the absence of teeth is compensated for by 

 two horny projections at the root of the tongue, which 

 are doubtless used by the animal in crushing the mol- 

 lusca, on which it feeds. 



It is certainly a singular-looking animal, and when 

 first discovered, as its name denotes, was, I have no 

 doubt, considered a paradox ; but as science more clearly 

 develops the hidden mysteries of nature, many a paradox, 

 when viewed in the right light, is cleared up ; and when 

 we consider the habits of the platypus, we shall see 

 nothing so very wonderful in its formation. The shape 

 of the body is well adapted to the habits of an animal 

 the greater portion of whose life is spent under water. 

 The powerful webbed foot is scarcely more singular 

 than that of the mole, and is used by the platypus 

 as a propeller, in the same manner as the flat shovel- 

 foot is used by the mole for a spade. The beak, 

 or shovel-nose, is no more singular than the trunk of 

 the elephant or the snout of the tapir, and peculiarly 

 adapted for shovelling up shells, &c. from the bottom of 

 the stream. 



The beak, the web-foot, and the peculiar conformation 

 of the collar-bone, and its habits of breeding, certainly 

 show some affinity to the bird; but here all resemblance 

 ends. As to the idea of its laying eggs, that has long 



