ample information, and will make us fully acquain¬ 
ted with the natural hiftory of an animal which 
differs fo widely from all other quadrupeds, and 
which verifies in a moft ftriking manner the obfer- 
vation of Buffon; viz. that whatever was poflible 
for Nature to produce has actually been produced. 
On a fubjedt fo extraordinary as the prefent, a de¬ 
gree of fcepticifm is not only pardonable, but lau¬ 
dable ; and I ought perhaps to acknowledge that I 
almoft doubt the teffimony of my own eyes with 
refpecfl to the ftrudlure of this animal’s beak; yet 
muff confefs that I can perceive no appearance of 
any deceptive preparation; and the edges of the 
rieffus, the infertion, &c. when tried by the teft of 
maceration in water, fo as to render every part com¬ 
pletely moveable feem perfectly natural; nor can 
the moft accurate examination of expert anatomifts 
difeover any deception in this particular. 
The Platypus is a native of Auffralafia or New 
Holland, and is at prefent in the pofleflion of Mr. 
Dobfon, fo much diftinguifhed by his exquifite 
manner of preparing fpecimens of vegetable ana¬ 
tomy. 
