638 
PLATYPUS. 
teeth, and the middle fpace is hollow, to receive the 
tongue. But in this animal the two thin plates of hone 
are in the centre ; and the parts which furround them are 
compofed of fkin and membrane, in which a mufcular 
flruffure probably is enclofed. The teeth have no fangs 
which fink into the jaw, as in molt quadrupeds, but are 
imbedded in the gum ; and have only lateral alveolar 
procefles, from the outer and inner edges of the jaw, to 
fecure them in their places, but no tranfverfe ones 
between the two teeth. 
“ The tongue is extremely Ihort, not half an inch long; 
and the moveable portion not more than a quarter of an 
inch ; the papillas on its furface are long,-and of a conical 
form. When the tongue is drawn in, it can be brought en¬ 
tirely into the mouth ; and when extended can be projected 
about a quarter of an inch into the beak. The organ of 
fmell in this animal differs in fome particulars from that 
of the quadrupeds in general, as well as of birds. The 
external openings of this organ are placed nearly at the 
end of the beak, there being only the lip beyond them ; 
while the turbinated bones are in the fame relative 
fituation to the other parts of the fkull as in quadrupeds ; 
by which means, there are two cavities the whole length 
of the beak, fuperadded to the organ of fmell. The tur¬ 
binated bones in each noftril are two in number, and 
are diftinfl from each other. That next the beak is 
the longed, has a more variegated furface than in the 
duck, and has the long axis in the direction of the nodril; 
the poderior one is diort, projeffs farther into the nodril, 
and the ridges are in a tranfverfe direffion. The pof- 
terior nodrils do not open direffly under the turbinated 
bones, as in the duck, but about an inch farther back, 
and are extremely fmall; the cavities of the nofe, in this 
animal, are therefore uncommonly extenfive; they reach 
from the end of the beak nearly to the occiput. The 
beak itfelf is formed by the projecting bones already men¬ 
tioned, covered with a frnooth black fkin, which extends 
fome way beyond the bones, both in front and laterally, 
forming a moveable lip. This lip is fo drong, that, when 
dried or hardened in fpirit, it feems to be rigid; but 
when moidened is very pliant, and has probably a muf¬ 
cular flrufture. The under portion of the beak has a 
lip equally broad with the upper: this has a ferrated 
edge; but the ferras are confined to the foft part, not 
extending to the membrane covering the bone, and are 
not met with in the upper one. There is a very curious 
tranfverfe fold of the external black frnooth fkin, by 
which the beak is covered, projecting all round, exaftly 
at that part where the beak has its origin. Its apparent 
ufe feems to be to prevent the beak being pufhed farther 
into the foft mud, in which its prey may lie concealed, 
than up to this part, which is fo broad that it mud com¬ 
pletely dop its progrefs. The nerves that fupply the 
beak, in their general courfe, fize, and number, feem 
very clofely to correfpond with thofe of the bill of the 
duck. 
“The cavity of the fkull bears a greater general re- 
femblance to that of the duck than of quadrupeds: there 
is a very uncommon peculiarity in it, which is, that there 
is a bony falx of fome breadth, but no bony tentorium. 
This is met with in no quadruped that I know of: it is 
found in a fmall degree in fome birds, as the fpoon-bill, 
and the parrot; but not at all fo as to referable the falx 
in this animal. The orifice of the eye-lids is uncommonly 
fmall for the fize .of the animal ; but the eye itfelf was 
not in a date to be examined. The external opening of 
the ear was fo fmall'as not readily to be perceived : it is 
fimply an orifice; but the meatus enlarges confiderably 
beyond the fize of the opening, and pafies fome way under 
the fkin, before it reaches the organ, which in this fpeci- 
men had been dedroyed. In the duck, the orifice leading 
to the ear is very large, when compared with the opening 
in this animal. When we confider the peculiarities in 
the flrufture of the nofe of this animal, which lives in 
water, it is natural to conclude the organ is fitted to 
fmell in water, and the external nodrils are fo placed 
to enable it to difcover its prey by the fmell ; for that 
purpofe, the animal can apply its nofe, with great eafe, 
to the fmall recedes in which its prey may be concealed. 
The Itrufture of the beak is not fuch as enables it to take 
a firm hold ; but, when the marginal lips are brought 
together, the animal will have a confiderable power of 
fuftion, and in that way may draw its prey into it's 
mouth.” Phil. Tranf. vol. xc. 
In the Linnasan Society, on March 4,1817, a paper was 
read from fir John Jamiefon, then in New Holland, by 
which it appears that the fpurs of this animal are hollow, 
like the fangs of the rattle-fnake, and contain poifon. 
“I wounded one with fmall fhot; and on my overfeer’s 
taking it out of the water, it duck its fpurs into the palm 
and back of his right hand with fuch force, and retained 
them in with fuch drength, that they could not be with¬ 
drawn until it was killed. The hand indantly fwelled to 
a prodigious bulk ; and, the inflammation having rapidly 
extended to his (houlder, he was in a few minutes threat¬ 
ened with locked-jaw, and exhibited all the fymptoms of 
a perfon bitten by a venomous fnake. The pain from the 
firft was infupportable, and cold fweats and ficknefs of 
domach took place fo alarmingly, that I found it necedary, 
befides the external application of oil and vinegar, to ad- 
minider large quantities of the volatile alkali with opium, 
which I really think preferved his life. He was obliged 
to keep his bed for feveral days, and did not recover the 
perfect ufe of his hand for nine weeks.” 
Sir John made another very important difcovery, which 
we have previoufly hinted at. “ The female is oviparous, 
and lives in burrows in the ground, fo that it is feldom 
feen either on-diore or in the water. The males are feen 
in numbers throughout our winter-months only, doating 
and diving in all our large rivers; but they cannot con¬ 
tinue long under water. I had one drowned by having 
been left during the night in a large tub of water.” 
A letter from Mr. Patrick Hill, S. R. N. dated Sydney, 
Jan. 3, 1821, confirms fir John Jamiefon’s account of the 
fpurs being furnifhed with a flit and poifon-bag; alfo 
the oviparous production of that Angular animal. The 
natives affert that a wound from the fpiir is attended 
with fwelling and pain, but that it never proves mortal. 
According to the fame teftimony, the female lays two 
eggs, about the fize of thofe of the domeftic fowl. On 
opening the abdomen, Mr. Hill was much gratified to find 
in the left ovarium a round yellow ovum, about the fize 
of a fmall pea ; as alfo two of fmaller fize, and an immenl'e 
number of minute veficles, hardly perceptible to the eye, 
but diftindtly vifible under the microfcope. “There was 
no uterus, nor any vifcus fimilar to it, but only a tube 
leading up from the cloaca, which divided into two duffs 
leading to the ovaries, fimilar in fituation to the Fallopian 
tubes of viviparous animals, but much larger and wider.” 
Linn. Tranf. vol. xii. xiii. 
Thefe particulars diftinguifh the Platypus, in a very 
remarkable manner, from all other quadrupeds, giving 
this new tribe a refemblance in fome refpeCt to birds, in 
others to the amphibia; fo that it may be confidered as 
an intermediate link between the claffes mammalia, aves, 
and amphibia; and, although the great difference that 
exifts between it and the myrmecophaga, the neareft genus 
we are at prefent acquainted with, fliows that the nicer 
gradations towards the more perfect quadrupeds are not 
at prefent known, the faffs which have been dated may 
induce others to profecute the enquiry, and render that 
part of the chain more complete. Between it and' the 
bird, no link of importance feems to be wanting. (Phil. 
Tranf. 1802. Part II.) And M. Geoffroi St. Hilaire 
notices the faff, that the generative fyftem of this curious 
animal includes the two fyftems proper to birds and to 
the mammalia. It may well, therefore, be called para¬ 
doxus ! Mem. da Muf. d'Hift. Nat. 1824. 
PLATYS'MA, /. in furgery, a broad linen cloth to 
put over fores. Phillips. 
PLATYS'MA 
