INTRODUCTION. 81 



is unable to overtake from its unwieldiness. 

 Leoman mentions, that a duck, confined to a 

 bucket of water containing a live torpedo, was, 

 after some hours, found dead. Several species are 

 known ; four are found in the Mediterranean. 



The electric Gymnotus, recorded by Hum- 

 boldt, is a much more formidable creature, as we 

 learn from the interesting account of that tra- 

 veller. He found them in the Rio Colorado, and 

 several other streams which cross the missions 

 of the Chayma Indians. The natives frequently 

 feel the electrical shocks when bathing in the 

 waters, and every amphibious animal seems to 

 have an intuitive fear in approaching the pools 

 which they inhabit ; the alligator is stunned before 

 he can wound them ; and it was even necessary to 

 change the direction of a road near Urituca, 

 because these electrical eels were so numerous in 

 one river that they every year killed a great num- 

 ber of mules of burden as they forded the water. 

 The manner in which the Baron procured specimens 

 for examination is a curious instance of their 

 power. It was necessary to procure them without 

 injury; and, after resorting to different expedients, 

 " the Indians told us they would fish with horses. 

 We found it difficult to form an idea of this extra- 

 ordinary manner of fishing ; but we soon saw our 

 guides return from the Savannah, which they had 

 been scouring for wild horses and mules. They 

 F 



