The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-11-16 00:00:00

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THE Till P.
...1.11...
lETllNG,lllooll.—Tikitatart, i(oalnissu tb.)
—.-
11111111111 f.
10 le 1 ape. Laatheare 13 to t opt lerreallos
colt le to 1 apt e. out of Beep
Pt to 1 apt colt out of 20 to 1 apt Plover eels.
Symirau 100 to 4 or any other.
(tale.
15 le 2 apt f. net of Re- 14 to 1 sett f. oat of Tip-
serve pitywitebet.
7110 to 1 agar. out of Parasol
ST. 1.2651 L
114-le 1 apt Mariow. 1 1210 1 apt Ajar,.
—..---
SEAFORD (HANTS) COURSING MEETING.
2blslnfilf.
A Silver Cop, given by the Stewards, was won by Niv.
Reeves's Royston, red dog.'
MATCHES-
Captain Raberts'a Slim beat Mr. Rogera'a Fancy.
Mr. Hartaall's tan bitch beat Mr. fistidulplo's Rosa
Mr. Hanson's Slog against Mr. Bentioater'd Random—
undecided.
The Silver Collar was won by Mr. Owens (Hartfoill
Bridge) dog Rambler.
Capt. Sleroseire's Andrew hest Mr. Foodhans'a Breathless.
Mr. Goodchild'a Froth &game& Mr. IJOey's Sloth—Ueda.
Bided.
Mr. Mason's Tulip beat Mr. Humphries Snap.
Mr. Fourdrinier's Juno beat Mr. Huffman's Lady.
The dogs were in excellent conditiue.
DESCRIPTION OF THE
ORNITHOKY/VCHUS PARA DOXUS.
(Front * The Cori Mercantile CArenick.l
At the meeting of the Scientific and Literal,'
Society held last Monday evening, • very curios*
animal from New Holland was exhibited by oue of
the Members, who, at our request, has favoured air
with the following particolars from the paper he'
read oil that occasion :
DetCalleTlOX 01 /RS 011WITHOUTPICAVi PARADOIRIf.
This singular quadruped, a specimen of which I have the
pleasure of preseuting for the iiispection of the Society, was
lest described and figured by Dr. Shaw, is the loth volume
of the Natatratisfs MiseeNany, ruder the name of the
'' Duck-billed Platyptis”---P Platypus Alsatian."
The individual from which he drew up Isi•accoent was
the only one, at that time, know. in Eagland, sad beims
an animal of so extraordinary a construction, exhibitied dot
perfect rest tablaace of the beak of a bird elevated ois Bee
head of a padreped, the Doctor remised some liege is
doubt whether a deceptive process haul eel bete etapliftiS
and whether' in fact, the bill of some species of deck
rot been joined artificially to the heed of the animal. Sob.
oequent observations, nod the examination of a somber of)
specimens, which have Alice arrived In this country, hawk
however, completely removed all scepticism on this point ;
and it is now areertaieed, beyond the possibility of &.hs,
that we are indebted to nature, sod sot to art, fur Ibis see.
malous production.
The animal exhibited, which is Nearly one-fourth larger
Sham any individual of the species hitherto described, mea-
eleMl22 inches from the point of the beak to the extremity
of lbw tea, tied 134 ieehes la eivennaferenee. Its color" is
Emit brows above, and below • thew grey mixed with few-
-1111.111111.114K It is covered with fee thick fur, which is mostly
4nt very esewaon kind of hair, three quarters WOog,
eurinuely fattened at its extremity, sod
ribt resemblance to fine 'hieing leathess. ?ha. body
sod has mime reeemblasee to that of no %Star
• the week sad head are like Moe et *Ai*
sad tact ;she mends, as before reotazholly * rcsee jo
hill ti lung, which has at isi soot a ormrpesu
isolie 1.111
oaiotelh broad, which surrounds it, sail lies loon opts ihr
hair; the lower portion of the bill is much smaller than the
upper ond the edges of both have hard ridges of a horny ea.:
lure. The nostrils ace two 111.1111 orifices close is inch miry,
sear the end of the bill; the eyes are very small and sac-
mended by tuftsof light-toloured heir; the glebe is Obeid
a quarter aim inch is diameter, end is furnished with a pie-
titating membrane, or third lid, as in birds. In the poitorkle
part of the month are four grinding teeth, not eitiparob if
. our ell sod bone, bet of* homy substance, embedded is the
pep, similar is structure to the horny and which (ices the
gizzards of birds. Between the cheek and the jaws, us each
side of the mouth is a pouch, as in the Monkey tribe; and
oe the posterior part of the tongue are two small horny
teeth, direeled forward, which seem intended to prevent the
feud from getting into the stomach, until :al the indigestible
parts are separated, the nutrieioes parts atone beiirg allowed
to descend into the stomach, which is very small. The Gel
are about three incises lung, the fine ones have five horny
toes, united by a web, shith extends considerably beyond
their extremities; the hind toes have carved claws, and are
else joined by a palmate membrane, which does mo, how-
ever, reach to the extremities of the claws. Besides the five
toes, the male has also on the bind legs, just at the setting
on of the heel, a very singular crooked spur, half an loth
long, slid capable of motion is two'directioes. The tail,
which is 4 inches lung, in its penal shape, resembles that
of the beaver, the hair .0 its upper airfare is very different
from that on the other parts of the auireak beteg lung, and
of a coarse appearance resembling horse-hair.
The heart was two auricles, and two sentrielei. The
stomach is comparatively smaller than in must other ani-
mals, being only 11 inch bug, and t inch broad, which I.
exactly double the size of one of the pouches in the cheek.
The female is from an inch to an lack mid a half shorter
than the male, but the circumference of the body is as
great, being furnished with a quantite-or tat, lying every
where under the skin, which is altogether Naming in the
other sex. The colon,' of lite under part is rather lighter
thee in the male, and it is reenatkably distioageished from
that sex by being destitute of the spur on the bind feet.—
No appearance of stipples could be driveled on it, althouzh
the skit, was examined with the utmost care. From the tit-
(renal Aeration of the female, Sir &env! Howe is of opi-
oleo that it is oviviparows ; that is, that as egg is formed,
which is hatched within the 1111i1Oftl, as its the case of some
species of lizards.
The natural history of these animals is little known.—
Governor Hunter, who had opportauities o( seeing them
alive in New South Wales, the ualy part of the world is
which they have been found, furnished Sir Everard Rotes
with the following particulars :

The Ornithuriochus Paradox'', s only found in fresh
water lakes, of which there are many of very large
size its the interior parts of the eoweitry; it does nut swim
en the PM Nee of the owe,, hot comes up occasionally
to !menthe, In the same manner •s the turtle. The
native, sit upon the banks with small wooden spear.,
sad strike them when they come to the surface, which
they do with conaiderable dexterity. Governor Ilnoter saw
a native watch our fur above en hour, before he attempted
to spear it, which he did through the neck and fore-leg:
when on shore it used its claws with to much force, that
they were obliged to confine it between two pieces of board,
when disengaging it from the spear. When let loose it ram
upon the groecd with much more activity than the con-
struction of its fore feet would have led as to believe. It
inhabits the bauks of the lakes. It is supposed to feed
in the muddy places which surround them, bet She
particular kind of food it uses is not kaolin; from the con.
etruetion of its organs, it is probable it Moist, on worms
and aquatic insects.
Sir E d Home has given a minute account of the ana-
tomy of this animal Is the MI volume of Tie PAilosophkel
Transactions from which most of the foregoing partieolant
are extracted. Hr. Leech has given a figure and described a
new species is hie Zwalegiedil Aliseasay.
_ .

This entraordisory tribe of sauna* ;hick although 41111►
drapeds, are out asammislia, may be coasidered as au loser-
mediate link hetirea We audasnalia ayes, nod amplabia,
waiting some of the pecoliarities of each iu a mauler hi-
therto unprecedented in any other tribe of &stimuli with
which we are ompoioled.
Adatogalltddnollol6•M
Madomo4llirtrillito.lrCe.“
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