132. Royal Society.—Kirwanian Society of Dublin. 
Mr. Todd, a surgeon in the Royal Navy, presented an account 
of his observations made on the torpedo at the Cape of Good 
Hope. The peculiar organs of this animal have been described 
by the late Mr. Hunter. Mr, T. found that when the electric 
organs are often excited they lose their power, and the animal 
dies much sooner. Its first strokes are always the most violent, 
and grow gradually more and more feeble until quite exhausted, 
and then the animal dies. The author cut open the little tubes 
or electric organs in-the breast ; and by this process the animal 
lost its electric powers, but continued to live longer than those 
whose electricity was entirely exhansted. The torpedos subjected 
to these experiments were smaller than those found in the north- 
ern seas, being only from five to eight inches long, and frem 
three to five broad. They were caught by the sailors when 
fishing in the usual manner while the Lion lay at anchor off the 
Cape. Some of the torpedos manifested a kind of reluctance 
to give shocks; others parted with them very freely : hence the 
author is inclined to believe that it requires a considerable effort 
in the animal to give shecks, and one which shortens its life. 
The torpedes were kept in casks of salt-water, in which they 
lived from two to five days. 
Feb, 21. A short paper by Sir Everard Home was read, con- 
taining some observations on the structure of the feet of some 
lacerte, particularly the gecko. Sir Joseph Banks, who suffered 
nothing to escape his observation, noticed, while in Batavia, 
that the gecko is a very familiar inmate of the houses ; and that 
it could run along their smooth cielings, having its back down- 
wards, with the greatest case, contrary to the laws. of gravity. 
He mentioned this circumstance to Sir Everard, and also sup- 
plied him with a large one weighing three ounces, in order that 
he might examine the structure of its feet. The result of lis 
inquiry is, that the feet of the gecko have some resemblance to 
the actinza of those fish which adhere to the sides of ships; that 
they, at every step, form a partial vaccuum below them, which 
thus enables them to run with their back downwards. 
This evening their imperial highnesses the archdukes John 
and Lewis of Austria, brothers of the emperor of Austria, having 
heen elected at a previous meeting, were regularly introduced as 
fellows of the Royal Society of London for improving natural 
knowledge. 
KIRWANIAN SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 
Dee. 15.1815. A paper “On some liquid Combinations of 
oxymuriatic Acid, and their Application to the discharging of 
Turkey Red in Calico Printing,” was read by D. Wilson, esq. 
Feb. 
a 
