332 PLAGIOSTOMATA. 



right hand he felt his hand give way, he then caught the line with his left hand 

 and attempted to lift the fish into the boat with his right, which now tingled up 

 to his wrist. When removing the hook both hands, which touched the wired 

 portions of the line, tingled. Inside it was a gray gurnard uninjured. Pennant, 

 Montagu and Cornish have each known of single instances of these fish taking a 

 bait. 



Breeding. Four to fourteen ova a season (Owen). 



Habitat. Coasts of Great Britain and the Atlantic, certainly so far south as 

 Madeira, also the Mediterranean. In January, 1884, one was trawled off Lybster 

 which weighed 13 lb. and was 28 inches long and 19| inches across. It was sent 

 to the Edinburgh Museum (Professor Archer, Mss.). One was taken off Banff- 

 shire, near Cullen, in 1817, and others are stated to have been caught (Edward). 

 Two were recorded from Stockton-on-Tees (J. Wilson, L. and W. 1869), and on 

 April 14th, 1862, one 29 inches long was secured from among the breakers on the 

 beach at Essington in Yorkshire (W. Eagle- Clarke, Zool. p. 193), while a second 

 was cast ashore in April, 1863. From inquiries which I have made along the 

 south coast, I have reason to believe that the torpedo is frequently taken by 

 trawlers, bat is usually cut up for bait. While enumerating every specimen 

 known to have been captured would occupy too much space, Couch alludes to five 

 taken in one year in Mount's Bay, and two or three which came under Mr. Cock's 

 observation at Falmouth, as well as one obtained by Mr. Allen Thompson at 

 Weymouth. Yarrell, in September, 1808, received two from the coast of Devon- 

 shire ; one was large, and had been captured in a trawl net. On October 28th, 

 1879, a female was taken at Beer in the same county ; it was 2 feet 9| inches long and 

 20 inches across (D' Urban, Zool. p. 491). July 20th, 1865, one 25 lb. weight was 

 captured at Dudleigh Salterton, and although the fisherman only touched it with one 

 finger, he received a severe shock, and his arm was left quivering for ten minutes 

 (Watkins, Hardw. Sc. Gossip, p. 236). A specimen from Plymouth was in the 

 National collection, and Couch's example, which was a female 30 inches long, 

 came from the same locality. In August, 1873, one was taken in a trawl between 

 the Lizard and Land's End (J. Cornish, Zool. p. 4500), a second near Penzance, 

 in twenty fathoms water, which was 3 feet long and 2 feet 2 inches wide. It 

 weighed 33 lb., and was caught on a hook and line. In July, 1881, one was taken 

 at Falmouth. On August 6th and 10th one each day at Penzance. September 29th, 

 one at St. Ives, and in August one at Polperro and two at Mevagissey, from which 

 last place Mr. Dunn has several times reported its capture. In the Cornish 

 Fauna it is stated not to be uncommon in Cornwall, but is rarely observed because 

 most fishermen cut it away as soon as they see it. A male was taken at the weir 

 at Swansea, July 17th, 1840, and five or six young are said to be annually captured 

 there (Dillwyn). 



In Ireland, in 1740, one (or possibly a Try g on)- was taken off Dungannon, 

 Waterford (Dr. Smith), and Templeton records that since then he had known of 

 a few specimens being caught. It is rare in Dublin Bay (Knox-Blake, Zool., 

 December, 1866). One was taken there in October, 1838, and Ogilby states 

 that in December, 1875, a female, 34 inches long and 23 wide, was trawled 

 off the south-east coast (Zool. 1876, p. 4806). Thompson observed that this 

 fish has in a few instances been obtained off the east and south-east coasts. 

 The example figured is in the National collection. Buckland records one from 

 Mevagissey taken in July, 1870, which measured 4 feet long, 2 feet 10 inches 

 wide, and weighed 82 lb. 



2. Torpedo mannorata, Plate CLXV. 



Narce, Belon. i, p. 90. Torpedo tertia et quarta, Rondel, p. 363. Torpedo, 

 Walsh, Phil. Trans. 1773, p. 461, t. xix ; Hunter, Phil. Trans, p. 481, t. xx ; 

 Pringle, Phil. Trans. 1774; Cavendish, Phil. Trans. 1776. Narcacion, Klein, 

 Pise. Mss. iii, p. 32, no. 3, 4. Electric Ray, Pennant, Brit. Zool. (ed. 1776) iii. 

 p. 89, pi. x (ed. 1812) iii, p. 118, pi. xii. Torpillb, Duhamel, Peches, ii, p. 286, 

 t. xiii. 



