#betruch >:(

[arthistoryanimalia]

British Army officer, artist, and naturalist Thomas Davies died #OTD (c. 1737 - 16 March 1812). He was one of the first Europeans known to illustrate a Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). Here is both his sketchbook version and the finished version he presented to The Linnean Society of London c. 1800.

Page from a sketchbook of mammals, fish, and ethnographical objects by Thomas Davies FRS FLS (1737-1812); one of the earliest known European depictions of a Duck-billed Platypus, labeled here as “Ducks Bill Beaver.”

"This watercolour drawing by British Army Officer and naturalist Thomas Davies FLS (c. 1737–1812) accompanied a paper read at the Society on 4 November 1800, titled 'Castor Rostratus of New South Wales, or Duck billed Beaver'. In the paper Davies writes, 'As I understand, this most extraordinary and singular animall [sic] has already been described by my friend Doctor Shaw, I shall not attempt entering into the Generic Character being perfectly satisfied of his superior abilities in more scientifically performing that matter than myself'. However, Davies wanted to present this drawing to the Society, as he had 'had the satisfaction of seeing three specimens'. The platypus (current name: Ornithorhynchus anatinus) was so bizarre to Europeans, that British scientists first thought it a hoax, and even George Shaw FLS (1751-1813), who first described the animal had his doubts of its authenticity. The Society holds seven papers with accompanying drawings by Davies." [Info via The Linnean Society of London.]

(FYI Betruch’s illustration was published in 1798, Shaw’s in 1799, and Bewick's in 1800, so Davies' was the third or fourth - and definitely my favorite LOL! Don't have an exact date for when he made the sketch, but I assume it wasn't any earlier than 1798 when the first skin arrived in Europe from John Hunter, who was the first European known to sketch a specimen in Australia 1797.)

[lalalaugenbrot]

Die weltberühmten Vier Freunde, das sind Pia, Esther, Adam und Leo. Wenn sie gemeinsam ermitteln, sind Spaß und Spannung garantiert — denn Abenteurer erleben immer Abenteuer. Die Vier Freunde sind nicht nur unternehmungslustig, sondern auch pfiffig und findig, und so lösen sie manchen kniffligen Fall.

Ihre ersten drei Fälle gibt es jetzt als Hörspiel — nur bei EUROPA!