AND MAMMAEY FCETUS OF THE ECHIDXA IIYSTRIX. 
G83 
« Wood's Point, September, 21st, 18G4. 
"To Professor R. Owen, 
" Sir, — 1 have great pleasure in being able to inform you of a very interesting disco- 
very in the economy of the Qmithorhynchus paradoxus, and one which I have no doubt 
you will hail with delight. About ten months ago, a female Platypus w r as captured in 
the River Goulbum by some workman who gave it to the Gold-Receiver of this district. 
He, to prevent its escape, tied a cord to its leg and put it into a gin-case, where it 
remained during the night. The next morning, when he came to look at it, he found 
that it had laid two eggs. They were about the size of a crow's egg, and Ave re white, 
soft and compressible, being without shell or anything approaching to a calcareous 
covering. 
" I had an opportunity of examining them externally, and I found no evidence of 
their having had any recent vascular connexion with the maternal organs ; but I am 
sorry to say that I never had a chance of examining their contents, as, on inquiring for 
them a day or two afterwards, I found they had been thrown away, much to my chagrin 
and disappointment. 
" The animal itself was afterwards killed (next day), and I was told that numerous 
ova [in the words of my informant ' eggs'] were found in it, in various stages of develop- 
ment, which in the aggregate somewhat resembled a bunch of grapes ; but this I can- 
not personally vouch for. 
tc It may appear to you a matter of surprise that I did not examine more minutely 
this most interesting animal; but I am sorry to say that the same spirit that dictated 
the throwing away of the eggs, prevented me making a more detailed investigation. 
"I am in hopes that I shall be able to get another pregnant specimen, if so, I shall 
have much pleasure in sending it to you for your inspection. 
" I have the honour to be, Sir, 
" Your obedient Servant, 
" Jno. Nicholson, M.D., &c." 
" Wood's Point, Victoria, Australia." 
By a following mail I was favoured by my esteemed correspondent, Dr. Mueller, 
with a letter from the "Gold-Receiver" referred to by Dr. Nicholson, in reply to 
inquiries which vague reports of the occurrence had induced Dr. Mueller to make. 
« Wood's Point, September 25, 1804. 
"Dear Sir, — In reply to your inquiries relative to the OvitythQrhywhm paradoxm, I 
must in the first place correct an erroneous impression which the newspaper paragraph 
has conveyed. 
" The Platypus is not now in my possession, and the egga were laved the day after its 
capture, The animal was captured in the Goulbum and given to me. It was then 
fastened by a cord in a gin-case, and on examining it the next morning the two eggfl 
were found in the bottom of the box, both of them having undoubtedly been laid 
