Natural History. — Zoology. 41$ 
the spur, immediately over the articulation, a small cyst, which 
I cut into ; it did not, at that time, contain any fluid ; but from 
it I, with great ease, passed a horse -hair through the spur. 
This preparation I have sent to you, together with the dried 
cyst.’ 
“ You will also be pleased to learn, that I have been fortu- 
nate enough to get an impregnated female of this interesting 
animal. I give you another extract from my notes : ‘ Bathurst , 
Oct. 13. — After breakfast went with Mr Scott to examine a 
hole, where we had been told that a wounded Ornithorhynchus 
had taken refuge, and which we hoped might prove to be the 
animal's nest ; but, on digging, we found it to be that of a rat. 
On returning, however, we were gratified in finding that a fe- 
male Ornithorhynchus had been brought in alive, having been 
found on its nest, in a lagoon near Campbells River, by Mr 
Rawley, who says that he was obliged to tear the nest to pieces, 
before he could get the animal out, the nest being formed of 
reeds and rushes, with a long tube or entrance into it, out of 
which the bill of the animal only was visible. The animal was 
placed in a bucket of water, in which it seemed to enjoy itself 
for some time, occasionally getting on its back in the water, to 
scratch its head with the hind foot. The eyes are small and 
prominent, of a muddy-brown colour, with blue pupil, and are 
situated immediately behind the skinny flap at the base of the 
bilk After a short time, it did not seem to like being in the 
water, and therefore it was taken out ; a string was tied round 
the leg, and it was allowed to go on the grass, where it crawled 
along, seemingly with difficulty. It appeared to like having its 
head scratched, as it allowed me to "do so without moving.’ 
c Oct. 14.... Found the Ornithorhyv chus nearly dead, and pro- 
ceeded to examine its structure. The rectum , vagina , and 
urinary bladder, have one common orifice. On opening the ab- 
domen, I was much gratified to find, in the left ovarium, a 
round yellow ovum , about the size of a small pea. There 
were also two of smaller size, and an immense number of mi- 
nute vesicles, hardly perceptible to the eye, but distinctly visible 
under the microscope. There was no uterus, nor any viscus 
similar to it, but only a tube leading up from the cloaca, which 
divided into two ducts leading to the ovaries, similar in situation 
