AND PERSONALITY 



muscles in the execution of coordinated action as well as 

 to the oxygen content of the foam on the shallow beaches. 

 The finesse of the flapper of the sting ray may be compared 

 to that of the trunk of the elephant, which, consisting of a 

 large number of muscles, can move in any direction. The 

 development of ninety-four pairs of fingers on each hand 

 would be an equivalent in man. 



Numerous muscles require numerous action patterns 

 (brain patterns) : numerous action patterns necessitate, 

 accordingly, a larger brain, for the size of the brain, like 

 the size of a comptometer, is related not alone to gross 

 energy but also to the number of separate acts performed. 



The thyroid gland of the sting ray, as one would expect 

 from the size of the brain and the constant energy needed 

 to supply the constant action of the ninety-four pairs of 

 muscles, is also large in comparison with the thyroid gland 

 of other fish. 



The Electric Ray and the Sting Ray 



A comparison of the sting ray with the electric ray is 

 significant. The sting ray, as we have stated, has ninety-four 

 pairs of nerves leading to the ninety-four muscular seg- 

 ments of the flappers. The electric ray also has ninety-four 

 pairs of nerves leading to the different segments of the 

 flappers. The difference between the sting ray and the 

 electric ray is that, in addition to muscular contraction, 

 the neuromuscular mechanism of the electric ray generates 

 electric energy. This electric energy is transmitted to the 

 muscles in the flappers. The electric ray, instead of escaping 

 by swimming or by hiding in the sand, uses its electric 

 energy as a defense mechanism by giving electric shocks to 

 the animal that attacks it, for the speed of the electricity 

 generated in the electric ray is greater than the speed of 

 action of the muscles that close the jaws of the attacking 

 enemy. Therefore, the discharge of electricity instantly 

 disarms the attack. This circumstance is in harmony with 



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