30 ORNITHORYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 



through the small perforations, existing as well in the termination 

 of the membranous canal, as in the spur itself."* 



As there are no visible mamma?, and as these organs have not 

 hitherto been observed, the Ornithorynchus is generally presumed 

 to be oviparous. This opinion, however, has been satisfactorily 

 proved to be erroneous, by the dissection of the animal lately made 

 by Professor Meckel. f He has demonstrated the existence of 

 mammary glands ; hence it may be inferred that this animal is 

 viviparous, or brings forth live young. Two species, or varieties, 

 are noticed, one with pale, -reddish, and smooth fur, the other 

 characterized by dark-brown fur, flattened and crisped. — Fig. 1 

 exhibits the mammary glands; 2. the large poison-gland and 

 duct leading from it to the base of the foot, the membranous canal, 

 and the spur; 3. the same detached; 4. a section of the spur; 

 5. under side of the hind foot, exhibiting the spur. 



The Ornithorynchus inhabits the rivers and marshes, in the 

 vicinity of Port Jackson, especially the river Nepean, on the eastern 

 coast of New Holland. It is called by the colonists, the water-mole, 

 and is supposed to subsist chiefly on worms and aquatic insects. 



The poison when injected into the wound inflicted by the animal, 

 causes violent pain, inflammation, and swelling, but the conse- 

 quences are not generally fatal. In one case, related in a paper 

 read before the Linnean Society of London, by Sir John Jamieson, 

 who resided some time in New Holland, the arm swelled, the jaw 

 became locked, and the patient exhibited all the symptoms of per- 

 sons bitten by poisonous snakes. They yielded to the external 

 application of oil, and the internal use of ammonia, but the man 

 suffered acute pain, and did not recover the use of his arm in a 

 month. On examining the spur it was found to be hollow, and 

 on pressing it a quantity of venom was squirted out. For what 

 purpose the animal is supplied with this poison does not appear, 

 though probably it is for the means of defence. 



• 





* Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society, v. f>, p. 2tf. 

 t Ornithorynehi Paradoxi Descriptio Analomica, fol. Leipsic, 1826. 



