Electric Fish 1 37 



(1394 B.C.) near Memphis and about one-third of a mile from 

 the river, the rate of accumulation would be about 3| inches 

 per century, but this, as he explained, could not be regarded 

 as very precise. 



Professor Du Bois-Reymond described in a letter to 

 Dr. Bence Jones his studies of three specimens of Silurus 

 electricus 1 from the coast of Africa. From the largest, 

 9 inches long, he obtained 15 to 20 shocks on alternate days. 

 The smallest, about 4 inches long, died ; the middle one, as 

 it became sickly, he killed. Only a single nerve, easily laid 

 bare, went to each electric organ. 



1858. To the 99th meeting (Jan. aist) Dr. Sharpey 

 described Dr. Livingstone's plans for a journey in Africa. 

 He intended to establish a settlement on the high land near 

 the junction of the Kafue and the Zambesi rivers, some 

 distance below the Falls, to test the suitability of this region 

 for cultivating cereals, and to study the tsetse fly, with the 

 possibility of exterminating it. 2 



In regard to this fly Mr. Grove suggested experiments 

 which might be advantageous, mentioning its singular 

 aversion to human excrement. Mr. Spence advised com- 

 paring it with the zuni fly described by Bruce in Abyssinia. 



Dr. Sharpey wished that some fly-fisher would investigate 

 the temperature of living trout, as he believed it to be higher 

 than that of water. 



General Sabine informed the Club that Dr. Hochstetter 

 of the Novara had written to him from the Cape of Good 

 Hope. The vessel was to proceed thence to the Nicobar 

 Islands. 



At the looth meeting (Feb. i8th) Sir Snow Harris exhibited 

 and described a modification of Lind's wind gauge. 



1 The electric catfish, now called Malapterurus and separated from 

 Silurus, belongs to Tropical Africa ; that inhabiting the Nile grows to- 

 about 4 feet in length. 



2 He started March loth, 1858. He was rewarded by the discovery of 

 Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa, the northern shores of which he explored, 

 but met with many disappointments and trials, including the death of 

 his wife. He returned to London July 23rd, 1864 (see Zambesi and its- 

 Tributaries, 1865). 



