1.5G PHYSIOLOGY OF Mf.-n.KS AND MlltVI 3. 



by various observers, and the electric character of their 

 innate force was incontrovertibly shown. Faraday's 

 study of tlie electric eel, and du liois-Keymond's of 

 another clcciric ti>h, an- especially important. 



'I'h. -re are three fishes, especially, which have been 

 proved to possess this capacity for giving electric shocks. 

 These are, the electric ray of the Adriatic and Medi- 

 terranean (Torpedo eli-<-tr'i<-n and T. m<ir,i,(ir<it<i'}; the 

 electric eel (Gymnolus dectricus), wliich occurs in the 

 fresh waters of South America : and lastly, another elec- 

 tric fish (Malapterurua rli-rh-icus or M. lenim //>./.$), 

 which has but recently been carefully stydied, and 

 which occurs in the rivers of the Bay of Benin on the 

 east coast of Africa. "SYe cannot omit this opportunity 

 of inserting Alexander von Ilumboldt's description of 

 the electric eel and its action ' : 



'The crocodile and the jaguar are not. however, the 

 only enemies that threaten the South American h< ree : 

 tor even among the fishes it has a dim 14 emus toe. The 

 marshy waters of Bern ;md Kastro are filled with innu- 

 merable electric eels, which at pleasure are a Me to 

 discharge a deadening shock from every part of their 

 slimy, yellow-speckled bodies. This species of ^\ mnof us 

 is about five or six feet in length. It is powerful enough 

 to kill the largest animals when it discharges its ner- 

 vous organs at one shock in a favourable direction. It 

 was once found neces-ary to change the line of road 

 from t r ritncii across the >-i\annah o\\in^' to the number 

 of horses which, in fording a certain ri\ uli-t. annually 

 fell a sacritice to the-e electric t-els, which had accu- 

 mulated there in -41-1 -at niiml>er<. All other species of 

 fish shun the vicinity of these formidable creatures. 



1 I7/-//-.S- a/ \utnri'. 



