The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-12-19
A FOUR-FOOTED BIRD.
Singular Inhabitant Of the Lower
Amazon River.

"A IOU1O-IOO1G LII OAASOs
Singular Inhabitant Of the Lower
Amazon River.
A Post-Natal Metamorphosis of the Most
Remarkable Characteristic Crea-
lures Habits-Sole Survivors
Of its Genus.
The following important paper in the
interest of science was read before the
Chicago Academy Of Sciences at its
last regular meeting, by Mr.. Edward
NJ. Brigham, of Battle Greek, Mich.
Mr.. Brigham has already made two
journeys to the Amazon River, South
America-the first in 1879, the second
in 1SS1-remaining in the field eighteen
months. He expects to leave soon on
the third expedition to the same re-
gion. By permission of the author the
paper will be issued as bulletin of the
academy with drawings illustrating the
peculiar characteristics OF this singular
bird:
A BIOLOGICAL SENSATION.
1t was, no doubt, noticed by most of
you that the British Association for the
Advancement of Science, when in con-
vention in Montreal, experienced a
great biological sensation, upon re-
ceiving cable dispatch from Austria
liza announcing the discovery that the
ornithorhynchus. warm-blooded,
milk-giving, furred, quadruped animal,
lays eggs. Though, it may be, that
among thespeculations upon this per-
picking, anamalous quadruped, this
fact was not undreamed of, we imagine
that even Americans were astonished
by the reality. However, the an
nouncement was hardly needed to con-
firm the long-existing belief that the
animal ECONOMICALLY belongs in the
very lowest place in its class-the high
est class of organized being mammalia.
This announcement determined me
no longer to delay a report of a similar
" interesting discovery made on an cx-
petition of 1882 in South America
NV only excuse for the delay is that I
desired to investigate further before re-
porting.
The discovery referred to is species
of quadruped Bird. e., species of
four-footed bird, which fills a place
similarly low in its class to that which
the egg-laying mammal occupies in the
mammalia-at the foot. These dis.
coveries are biological innovations, but
they refer to the very Oldest phases of
their types The oviparious manner of
reproduction of the ornithorhynchus
points to its proximate allies-the egg
laying non-mammalian forms-as do
the fore feet of the bird to its proximate
reptilian ancestry.
Though the ornithorhynchus is a
most extraordinary mammal, the fact
that it lays eggs seems an unnatural
and unconstitutional business for it,
but the authenticity of the report is un-
questionable. The work of laying eggs
among the higher animals has so long,
by general consent, been the preroga-
tive Of reptiles and birds that the man.
NAL seems almost at first to have
violated law. II is equally at vari-
ance with the accepted order Of things
for the bird to have four or fore feet.
WHERE THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE
CHARACTERISTICS.
= While making embryological studies
the interior of the great Island of
arajo, on the small River Anabiiu,
discovered the quadruped bird.
After having examined many speci-
mems Of various ages, found that from
what. corresponds to about the en-
bryonic state of development of the
common fowl at the tenth day of in
cubation, these fore feet showed their
characters Enthusiastically throughout