92 



ELECTRIC RAY. Class IV. 



They will live four and twenty hours out of the 

 fea ; and but very little longer if placed in frefh 

 water. 



They inhabit fandy places-, and will bury 

 themfelves fuperficially in it, by flinging the fand 

 over, by a quick flapping of all the extremities. 

 It is in this fituation that the torpedo gives his mod 

 forcible fliock, which throws down the aftonifhed 

 paflfenger, who inadvertently treads upon him. 



In our feas it grows to a great fize, and above 

 eighty pounds weight.. My defcription was taken 

 from a fmaller, which I had the pleafure of doing 

 in company with Mr. JValfh. 



Its length was eighteen inches from the head 

 to the tip of the tail -> the greateft breadth twelve 

 inches. I could not inform myfelf of the weight 

 of this ; but that of one, that meafured four feet 

 in length, and two and a half in breadth, was 

 fifty-three pounds, avoirdupoife. 



The tail was fix inches long ; was pretty thick 

 and round : the caudal fin broad and abrupt. 



The head and body, which were indiftincl:, were 

 nearly round ; about two inches thick in the mid- 

 dle, attenuating to extreme thinnefs on the edges : 

 below the body, the ventral fins formed on each 

 fide a quarter of a circle. The two dorfal fins 

 were placed on the trunk of the tail. 



The eyes were fmall, placed near each other: 

 behind each was a round fpiracle, with fix fmall 



cutaneous rags on their inner circumference. 



Mouth 



