ferrated or channelled with numerous ftriae, as in a 
duck’s bill. The noftrils are fmall and rounds and 
are fituated about a quarter of an inch from the tip 
of the bill, and are about the eighth of an inch 
diftant from each other. There is no appearance of 
teeth : the palate is removed, but feems to have re- 
fembled that of a duck : the tongue alfo is wanting 
in the fpecimen. The ears or auditory foramina are 
placed about half an inch beyond the eyes: they ap¬ 
pear like a pair of oval holes of the eighth of an 
inch in diameter; there being no external ear. On 
the upper part of the head, on each fide, a little 
beyond the beak, are fituated two fmailifh, oval, 
white fpots; in the lower part of each of which are 
imbedded the eyes, or at lead the parts allotted to 
the animal for fome kind of vifion; for from the 
thicknefs of the fur and the fmallnefs of the organs 
they feem to have been but obfcurely calculated 
for diflincft vifion, and are probably like thofe of 
Moles, and fome other animals of that tribe,- or 
perhaps even fubcutaneous ; the whole apparent 
diameter of the cavity in which they were placed not 
exceeding the tenth of an inch. 
When we confider the general form of this ani¬ 
mal, and particularly its bill and webbed feet, we 
fhall readily perceive that it muff be a refident in 
watery fituations ; that it has the habits of digging 
or burrowing in the banks of rivers, or under 
ground ; and that its food conlifts of aquatic plants 
and animals. This is all that can at prefent be 
reafonably guefTed at : future obfervations, made in 
its native regions, will, it is hoped, afford us more 
ample 
