The platypus was discovered in the XVIII century during the colonization of New South Wales. A report issued in 1802, the list of animals of the colony referred to "animal amphibian of the family of moles. The most interesting quality of it - is that it has, instead of the usual mouth duck's beak, which allows him to eat in the mud, like a bird. "First platypus pelt was sent to England in 1797. Her appearance has generated fierce debate among the scientific community. First, the skin felt the product of a taxidermist, sew the duck's beak to the skin of the animal, like a beaver. Dispel this suspicion succeeded George Shaw, who came to study the package and concluded that it is not a fake (for this show even notched skin in search of stitches). The question arose as to which group of animals include the platypus. Even after he had received his scientific name, the first animals were brought to England, and found that the female platypus no visible breasts, but this animal, like birds, a cloaca. A quarter of a century, scientists could not decide where to put the platypus - mammals, birds, reptiles, or even to a particular class, until he discovered in 1824 by German biologist Meckel that the platypus still has female breasts and brings up cubs milk. The fact that the platypus lays eggs, has been proven only in 1884.