230 RAVENOUS WOLF-FISH. 



swallowed. So powerful is this shock from a large fish, 

 that, in taking one of them up, a sailor was thrown into 

 so much pain as to sink lifeless upon the ground, nor did ; 

 he recover for some minutes afterwards. Captain Sted- 1 

 man informs us, that, for a small wager, he attempted i 

 several times to seize an Electric Eel with one of his 

 hands, but at every trial he had a severe shock, which 

 extended up each arm, as far as the shoulder ; and after 

 about twenty different attempts, to no purpose, he was at i 

 length compelled to desist. A very painful sensation has 

 been communicated on touching the fish only with a 

 walking-stick. The Electric Eel, which was first dis- 

 covered by Dr. Richter, in the year 1677, is a native only 

 of the fresh-water rivers of Surinam, and other adjacent 

 parts of South America. 



This fish, in its general appearance, is not much unlike 

 the common eel. Its length is from three to four feet. 

 The head is flat, and the mouth destitute of teeth. The 

 body is without scales, and somewhat of an olive colour. 

 The caudal fin is very obtuse, and is united to the anal fin. 



3. WOLF-FISH TRIBE. 



The three species which compose the present tribe are 

 found chiefly in the Northern Ocean. Their voracity is 

 unbounded. 



Ravenous Wolf-fish, or Sea Wolf. The aspect of these 

 ferocious animals, their wide mouth and enormous teeth* 

 furnish us with a sufficient indication of their savage and 

 unrelenting habits. They seize with avidity almost every 

 thing digestible that comes within their reach ; they de- 

 vour not only fish, but crabs, lobsters, and even some 

 of the most massy of the shell-animals of the deep. No 



