649 
im Folgenden kurz als »Advertiser« und »Register« bezeichnen will. 
Der Bericht im »Advertiser« erschien in der Nummer vom vierten, der- 
jenige des »Register« in der Nummer vom fünften September. Zu 
meinem nicht geringen Erstaunen brachte nun dieselbe Nummer des 
»Register« folgendes Londoner Telegramm vom vierten September: 
»Australian Biology. 
In connection with the meetings of the British Association at Mon- 
treal, a telegram has been received from the eminent Australian natu- 
ralist Mr. Caldwell, in which he announces the discovery that, con- 
trary to the generally accepted belief, the lowest genera of Australian 
mammals are distinctly viviparous. This is pronounced to be the most 
important item of recent scientific news which will be submitted for 
consideration at Montreal. Professor Moseley considers that this dis- 
covery indicates the descent of man from reptiles.« 
Da ich überzeugt war, daß das Telegramm eine sinnstörende Än- 
derung erfahren haben mußte, richtete ich, englischer Sitte gemäß, 
folgenden Brief an den Redacteur des »Register«, der in der Nummer 
vom sechsten September abgedruckt wurde: 
yAustralian Biology. 
To the Editor. 
Sir — In to-day’s issue of your valuable paper I noticed amongst 
the London telegrams the following one, headed »Australian Biology«, 
viz.: — »In connection with the meetings of the British Association at 
Montreal a telegram has been received from the eminent Australian 
naturalist, Mr. Caldwell, in which he announces the discovery that 
— contrary to the generally adopted belief — the lowest genera of 
Australian mammals are distinctly viviparous. This is pronounced to 
be the most important item of recent scientific news which will be sub- 
mitted for consideration at Montreal. Professor Moseley considers 
that this discovery indicates the descent of man from reptiles.« The 
latter part of the telegram shows that in its transmission a mistake 
must have occurred, for most of the reptiles are oviparous, not vivi- 
parous. They lay eggs, as also do the birds, and the general belief of 
the modern zoologists is that the lowest Australian mammals (or milk- 
giving animals), the Platypus or Ornithorhynchus, and the porcupine 
anteater or Echidna, bring forward their progeny alive. The word »vi- 
viparous« of the telegram must, therefore, evidently read »oviparous«. 
If Mr. Caldwell, whose address is unfortunately unknown to me, 
had discovered that the Platypus and the Echidna are viviparous, he 
would not have incurred the expenses of a telegram from Australia to 
