294 Miscellaneous, 



T. marmorata approaches it more nearly in form, but is less clumsy : 

 the spiracles are in all three represented as notched. Fleming (Brit. 

 Anim.) not having seen specimens, describes from other authors. 

 In the Phil. Trans, for 1834 (p. 542.), Dr. Davy states, that the 

 Tor p. marmorata, Risso, and T. Galvani, Risso, are identical — in this 

 memoir two Mediterranean species are described, of which this one 

 only approaches the specimen before me. Jenyns (p. 509.) consi- 

 ders the British species of Torpedo to be undetermined, as likewise 

 does Yarrell, whose figure (vol. ii. p. 410.) we may therefore pre- 

 sume has not been made from a' native specimen. 



Of Dr. Jacob's Torpedo, which is a female, the entire length is 

 34, the greatest breadth 23 inches ; breadth across the ventrals 9 J 

 inches. The body is rounder and forms a greater portion of the 

 •whole than in Yarrell's figure (and still more so than in Willughby's, 

 which the author just mentioned considers the same as his) ; it is 

 19^ inches long from the anterior extremity to the part of the body 

 which is on a line with the extremity of the pectorals, and 14-J 

 inches thence to the end of the caudal fin. The first dorsal fin, 

 which is 3 inches in height, extends for 2 inches along the trunk of 

 the tail, and terminates nearly on the same plane with the ventrals : 

 the second dorsal fin originates about 1^ inch behind the first ; it is 

 21 inches in height, occupies If inch of the tail, and extends within 

 IJ inch of the origin of the caudal fin — it thus nearly occupies the 

 portion between the ventral and caudal fins : C. fin 5 inches in 

 length, upper lobe the larger. Eyes minute, ^ inch long and about 

 the same broad, 2 inches 10 lines from the anterior edge of the 

 body, 2 in. 4 lines apart ; spiracle opening, circular or without 

 tooth-like processes ; a fimbriated process about an inch within the 

 margin : several rows of small sharp teeth ; vent about the middle 

 of body within the ventral fins. Colour of the entire upper surface 

 uniform reddish- grey, with obscure and small markings of a darker 

 shade ; a single dark spot j inch in diameter on the body a little 

 to the left of the middle ; under side rich chalk-white prettily bor- 

 dered with reddish gray, which colour forms a band about an inch 

 in breadth round the pectorals, but narrower on the ventrals, and 

 still more so on the tail. 



To recapitulate — in all the works noticed in this communica- 

 tion, and perhaps unnecessarily so, the only figures of the Torpedo 

 corresponding exactly in proportion with my specimen are Walsh's*, 



* I do not recollect to have seen it anywhere satisfactorily stated, whether 

 individuals of the same species differ much in general outline, or whether 

 the sexes ever vary much in this respect — colour is admitted to be no cha- 

 racter. See in particular Dr. Davy, Phil. Trans. 1. c. 



