98 Experiments on the Gyninotus Electricus. 



ing the phial in his left hand, took hold of the hand 

 of another person with his right, who put his other 

 hand in the water surrounding the fish. Through 

 the cork of the phial passed a thick brass wire, which, 

 six or seven inches above the cork, was bent in the 

 form of a semicircle, and, on its outward end was 

 fixed a bullet, with which Mr. Kinnersly touched the 

 head of the fish : whereupon each person felt a severe 

 shock, through both arms. 



Experiment 7. In consequence of the preceding 

 experiment, it was suggested, by a person present, 

 who seemed unwilling to suppose the property of this 

 animal the same with electricity, that though the 

 shock would not be conducted by a glass tube, yet it 

 might, perhaps, pass very readily through a thin piece 

 of glass, such as the phial was. To determine this, 

 we placed a thin piece of window-glass, between the 

 fingers of a first and second person. The second 

 person took hold of the hand of a third person, who 

 with his other hand touched the fish, whilst the first 

 person held one hand in the water. The first and 

 third person felt a shock in one arm only, but the se- 

 cond person not at all. 



Experiment 8. We put a living fish, eight or nine 

 inches long, into the water with the electric eel. 

 After swimming about a short time, it happened to 

 come near the head of the electric fish, and presently 

 turned up its belly, and lay motionless ; but, on tak- 

 ing it out, in a few minutes it revived. A very small 



