14 Olservalions and Experiments 



May 25. — Proceeded to Bath. Weather showery and cooler 

 again. 



Alay 2fi. — (At Bath.) — Fine day, with cumuli, kc. 



May 27. — Fine day, with cumulus and other clouds. Clouded 

 over in the afternoon. 



May 28. — Fair, witii some showers ; fine spring weather. 



May 29. — Fair .-pring weather, witli ninibification, &:c. 



May 30. — Fine warai weather. 



May'3\. — F.iir diiy, with various clouds. 



June I. — Left Bath and returned to Clajiton. Fine warm 

 spring day, the morning was particularly clear. 



IV. Some Ohservations and Experiments made on the Torpedo 

 of the Cape of Good Hope in the Year 1812. By John 

 T. Todd, late Surgeon of His Majesty's Ship Lion. Com- 

 municated by Sir EvERAUD Home, Bart. KP.R.S.* 



W HiLST the Lion was stationed at the Cape of Good Hope, 

 the seine, as is the custom tiiroughout the navy, was freqaently 

 employed in procuring fisli for the use of the ship's company, 

 and hesides the more cdil)le kinds, many of the torpedo were 

 caught. In this manner the opportunity was afforded me of 

 making the following observations, some of the imperfections of 

 which I must be allowed to attribute to the '■'maws imda" of 

 my situation. The fish were generally caught early in the 

 morning, and examined as soon after as possible. When this 

 could not be done, they were placed in buckets of sea-water, 

 where they sometimes reniained alive for three, and in one in- 

 stance for five days. 



The torpedo is seldom met with to the eastward of the Cape 

 of Good Hope. Hence, whilst I rarely failed in procuring them 

 in Table Bay, I never but once succeeded in doing so in Simon's 

 Bay, although the opportunities were the same in both places. 

 It was never caught but by the seine, although the hook and 

 line, with bait of every variety, were as often made use of exactly 

 in the same situations. It differs in wo respect, as far as 1 have 

 been able to observe, from the same fish of the northern hemi- 

 sphere, except that it was never found so large ; being never 

 more tlian eight, nnr less than five inches in length, and never 

 more than five, nor less than three inches and a half in breadth. 

 The color.r of the animal is various ; the upptr surface being gene- 

 rally hazeJ grey, reddish brown, or purple ; the under surface 

 greyish white, yellowish white, or white with black patches. 

 • Fiocn the PliilosoLiliical Transactions for 1816, puit i. 



The 



