Torpedo, Grtnnolus ehclncus and Silurns ehclrlcus. T3 1 



of aponevirofes, which extend in the dire6lion of the length of 

 the fifli, forming fo many horizontal %ata, parallel, and di- 

 itant from each other about a millimeire: other vertical U- 

 minre, of the fame nature, and much more numerous, intcr- 

 ieil them alnioll: at right angle? ; which produces a large 

 profound reticulation compofed of numerous cells of rhoni- 

 boidal planes. The interior of thefe cells is tilled with aa 

 untSlnous fubllance of a gelatinous appearance. 



The eleftrlc batteries are divided into four dlftinft maflfes, 

 two of whicli are lar<re and two fmall. Hunter gives to each 

 pair the nan;e of lartre and fmall tleir^ric organs. 



The large organs are fituated immediately below the air- 

 bladder and the vertebral mufcles. Thev are of fuch a thick- 

 nefs that they form alone more than half the volume of the 

 tail. Thev are divided by a broad partition, which furni flies 

 them with points, to which they are ftrongly attached. Tliey 

 adhere fuperiorlv to the air-bladder, and to the mufcles which 

 accompany it, by a very compact cellular tifl'ue, and they ter- 

 minate inferiorly in a round edge tow%Trds the origin of the 

 ofleous pieces which fupport the radii of the tin of the anus. 



The fmall organs occupy the lower region of the tail. 

 They begin and end nearlv at the fame points as the large 

 organs ; are fituated below them, and on each fide of the of- 

 feous fupporters of the anal fin : their general form is that ot" 

 Iwo long triangular pyramids. The two lateral faces of thefe 

 pyramids are covered by mufcular fibres, the aggregate of 

 which produces the different motions of the fin, Jn this re- 

 fpeft thefe fmall organs differ effeutially from the laroe ones 

 which are attached inunediatelv to the (kin, and which, hav- 

 ing a more intimate connciSlion with external bodies, are ca- 

 pable of producing more energetic effe<51:s. 



The horizontal lamina; of the fmall organs, inflead of be- 

 ing parallel throughout their whole length, are undulated at 

 intervals. Hunter counted 24 in a large organ, and 14 in a 

 fmall one. The lamime which interfeft the latter at right 

 angles are f:ir more numerous : thev are fo thin, and fo near 

 ».'ach other, that 2^0 are found in the extent of 9 inches. 



This apparatus of eleftric organs is put in play by a fy- 

 (Icm of nerves furni flied by the fpinal marrow, and diltributed 

 witli admirable niechauifm. Above the vertebral column is 

 found a large nerve, which proceeds in a (Iraight line from l,ho 

 cranium to the rxtremitv of the tail; but though larger, and 

 nearer the vertebral column, in the gynmotus eleftricus than 

 in other filhe.s of the eel kind, it civcs out only a few rami, 

 which proceed to the ele6tric organs. On the other hand, 

 however^ ihcrt; illucs from each vertebra a nerve, which not 

 K a only 



