EDE'O TTROC AGL “EE L. 169 
that it occafioned a ftrong contration in the bending 
mufcles of my fingers, and I could not immediately fet it 
go; but endeavouring to difengage my hand threw it on 
the ground; taking hold of it-a fecond time, to return it 
into the tub, I was more ftrongly affected than at firft, and 
that not only in my hands and arms, but throughout my 
whole body ; the forepart of my head and the back part 
of my legs fuffered principally ; and in the fame manner 
as on receiving a very {mart fhock from a highly charged 
phial in electrical experiments. 
On obferving that the fenfation occafioned by the fhock 
as to the nature and degree of {trength upon touching dif- 
ferent parts of the fifh, was different, I was at firft in- 
clined to think it might be owing to its having an extra- 
‘ordinary faculty of containing more of the fluid in one 
part of its body than.in another. The tail part to above 
one third of its length, occafions rather a numbnefs and 
tingling, than pain, but on applying the end of the fing- 
‘ers to the back, head, and under part of its body, it caufes 
a fharp pricking pain. This may poffibly be accounted 
for by the difference in the texture of the furface of the 
fkin, as the manner of the eledtrical fluids coming from a 
glafs tube is different when its furface is altered by being 
rubbed with different fubftances, as has been lately taken 
notice of in a letter to the Royal Society. 
Thefe are the principal obfervations, the fhort time I 
- refided at Surinam, allowed me an opportunity of making 
relating to this.extraordinary animal. 
‘ 
Obfervations 
