179 



ilisicellanea* 



Remarks on the ' Observations sur l'Ornithorhynque,' pab 

 M. Jules Verraux. By Prof. Owen, F.R.S. 



lAnnals and Magazine of Natural History, No. XI., Nov. 1848.] 



One of tlie admirable characteristics of the National Museum of 

 Zoology in France is the staff of " Naturalistes Voyageurs" attached 

 to the Jardin des Plantes. These gentlemen, after receiving the 

 requisite zoological acquirements, are sent to various parts of the 

 world to collect animals and plants for the museum at the expense of 

 the government.* Their preparatory pursuits eminently fit them for 

 observing the living phenomena of rare animals in their native envi- 

 ronment, and the names of several of these collectors have obtained 

 high and deserved repute in the records of zoological science : those 

 of Diard, Duvaucel, Dehilande, will readily suggest themselves; and 

 to these we may add that of the enterprising nephew of Delalande, 

 M. Jules Verraux, who, after having spent some years in Australasia, 

 has recently returnea to Paris with rich collections for the Jardin 

 des Plantes, 



During a sojourn of fifteen months in Tasmania, M. Verraux 

 devoted much time and pains to studying the habits of the Orni- 

 tJwrhyncM in their native rivers, and has published the general results 

 in the 'Revue Zoologique' for May of the present year. His obser- 

 vations are the more valuable as they appear to have been made 

 without the knowledge of any of the recent steps that had been taken 

 towards a resolution of the mystery of the generation and development 

 of the paradoxical mammal ; and I propose, therefore, to notice them 

 here in connection with the actual state of our knowledge of those 

 points prior to the publication of M. Verraux's remarks. 



He found the Ornithnrhynchi most abundant in the river of New 

 Norfolkf , Tasmania ; but succeeded in killing some individuals at 

 a considerable altitude on Mount Wellington. 



His description of their burrows accords with that given by Mr. 

 George BennettJ: those excavated in clayey soils, though they have 

 numerous outlets — one always below or level with the surface of the 

 stream — contain only a single nest, placed at the extremity 

 furthest from the water, and spacious enough to hold three or four 

 of these animals : the nest is composed of reeds and other aquatic 

 plants, and is thick enough to defend the animal from the damp. 



The Ornithorhynchus is an excellent buriower. M. Verraux saw 



* In the year 1835 there were eight of these officers engnged in travelling 

 in Hindostan, Madagascar, the Cape, Nubia, &c., at an expense to the 

 government in that year oF 25,000 fr. 



t River Derwent.— J. M. \ Trans. Zool. See. vol. i. 1834. 



O 



