SIS 
Dr Knox on the Anatomy of the 
rors prevailed regarding them. Dr Knox attributes these errors 
to the mutilated state in which, probably, the specimens examined 
by these celebrated anatomists were in at the moment of dissec- 
tion. The author describes the organs of sense, as far as they 
could be seen without mutilating the skeleton, which it was ne- 
cessary to respect. The integuments are strong and compact. 
The hair with which the animal is closely covered, is of two sorts ; 
one fine and silky, the other strong, spear-shaped, and resem- 
bling bristles rather than hairs. These are found chiefly on the 
beaver-like tail of the animal, and establish a certain relation 
between the Ornithorynchus and Echidna, an animal closely al- 
lied to it in other respects. The strength and general develop- 
ment of the 'panniculus carnosus still farther confirm this opi- 
nion. The bill, that remarkable feature in the ornithorynchus, 
is considered as the organ of touch, by means of which the ani- 
mal searches for its food. The supply of nerves to it from the 
fifth cerebral pairs is quite prodigious, though the author renders 
it probable that it is not the gustatory organ. The lateral redu- 
plications of the membrane of the bill, do not increase the sen- 
tient surface so greatly as might be supposed. 
The memoir is particularly full on those parts of the organ 
of hearing which came under observation. It would seem 
that the animal is not altogether without external ears, as has 
been stated by preceding anatomists ; but that the cartilaginous 
expansion of the external tube of the ear, and which constitutes 
a real co7icha , is found immediately under the integuments, and 
so loosely attached to them, as to be capable of considerable mo- 
tions, by means of muscles transmitted to it from the panniculus 
carnosus . The tympanic cavity has been minutely described ; 
the stapes entirely resembles the analogous ossiculum in birds ; 
but the malleus bears a certain resemblance to the same bone in 
certain of the mammalia. There is reason also to think, that a 
rudimentary incus exists, which, though not quite perfect, is yet 
sufficiently distinct. From these facts, it is evident, that the 
analogy supposed to exist between this animal and birds or rep- 
tiles, is by no means so strong as has beeg supposed. We shall 
presently shew, that the rest of the anatomical details tend con- 
siderably to destroy this supposed connection, and to reduce the 
male ornithorynchus nearly to a mammiferous character. 
