Note on the Reproduction of the Ornithovhynchus. 121 



hollow at the lower part of the uterus. It was not in any 

 way attached, and rolled freely out of its bed, which was not 

 more vascular than the neighbouring parts. 



The second specimen containing ova was shot on the 

 Campaspe on 4th November. It was seventeen inches 

 long, in fine condition, with perfect fur, somewhat silvery on 

 the abdomen. The right uterus was large, with thickened 

 walls, smooth internally, and containing a good deal of 

 mucus, but no ova. The corresponding ovary Avas little 

 developed, and there were no recently ruptured ovisacs or 

 appearance of any near maturity. The left uterus was very 

 large, the walls thick, the inner surface smooth, very vas- 

 cular, and covered with much mucus. Two ova, measuring 

 four and a half and five millimetres, were found in it. They 

 were whitish, softer than in the other specimen, the surface 

 of the smaller slightly wrinkled. They were quite loose, 

 and rolled freely. In the ovary were two recently ruptured 

 ovisacs close together, bright red, with circular, everted 

 openings. The mammary glands measured two inches by 

 one when undisturbed and the cellular membrane not 

 removed. The lobes were whitish, thick, and when cut 

 into were found not to contain any milk. 



Of the two in which the young or ova had been born, 

 one was shot on the Campaspe on 27th October. It was 

 seventeen inches long, with dark fur. There were no ova 

 in either uterus, the walls of which were much thinner than 

 in the last two. The right ovary was very little developed. 

 The left was of much larger size, composed of numerous 

 granules, the largest the size of No. 3 or 4 shot. I could 

 not clearly detect the remains of any ruptured ovisacs. The 

 mammary glands were largely developed, with numerous 

 converging, thick, whitish lobes. They contained a con- 

 siderable quantity of milk, which, examined microscopically, 

 differed from cow's milk only in the smaller size of the 

 globules. 



The other in which the young had been born was dug, 

 on 30th October, out of a burrow on the Axe Creek. It 

 was caught alive. In the nest was also found a single young- 

 one, which the captor, thinking it of no value, threw into 

 the creek. It was described to me as being scarcely an inch 

 and a half in length, of a reddish colour, and perfectly 

 smooth, without hair. The old one died before I got it. It 

 was eighteen inches long, thin, and the fur ragged and dirty. 

 The uterus and urogenital canal were empty. The mammary 



