698 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvi 



In Purchas Ili.s Pilgrimes, published in 1625, two notices of the 

 electric catfish or Kaad of the Nile appear. 



In the seventh booke Abyssinia, called then Abassia, is described, 

 and a notice of Abassine animals is given (p. 1183). 



In tliefe Rincrs and Lakes is alio found the Torpedo, whicli if any man hold in his 

 hand, if it ftirn> not, it doth produce no effect: but if it nioue it feife neuer fo little,, 

 it fo tornienteth the body of him which holds it, that his Arteries, Joints, Sinewes, &. 

 all his Members feele exceeding paine with a certaine numbneffe; and as foone as iti 

 is let go out of the hand, all that paine and numbneffe is alfo gone. The Huperfti- 

 tious Ahaffirm beleeue that it is good to expell Deuils out of humane bodies, as if iti 

 did torment Spirits no leffe than men. They fay, if one of thefe aliue bee laid > 

 aniongft dead Fifhes, if it there ftirre it felfe, it niakes thofe which it toucheth to 

 ftirre as if they were alive. There is great ftore of this kind in Nilus, in the furtheftl 

 parts of Goy<twa, where there is a Meere or Fenne without bottome, welling andi! 

 admirably l)oyling forth waters continually, whence Nilus fpringeth. ' 



In the twelfth booke, in which the present country of Mozani])ique ( 

 is described (p. 1545), the Torpedo is named in the margin, and thei 

 following notice of it appears: 



In the Riuer of Sofala is ftore of Fifh fat and sauorie, as Mullets, Needles, Dol- 

 phins, &c. One ftrange fifh in qualitie is common in thofe Riuers, which the Portii- 

 gals call Tremedor, and the Cafres, Thinta, of fuch nature that no man can take it in 

 his hand while it is alive, for it filleth the hand and arme with paine, as if every ioint 

 would go afunder; but being dead is as another fifh, and nuich efteemed for good 

 meate. The Naturals fay, that the skin of this fifh is vfed to forceries. It is medic- 

 inable againft the Cholick, rofted and ground to powder and drunke in Wine. The > 

 biggeft of them is two fpannes and halfe long, the ukin blackifh, rough and thick. 



It is (juitc likely that Forskal may have read these accounts, and I 

 thence been influenced in appropriating the name Torpedo as the 

 generic designation of the lish in question. 



