64 CLASS XIV. 



their wonderful property of giving painful and paralysing shocks. 

 That this property is an effect of the development of electricity 

 was distinctly proved especially by the experiments of WALSH 

 (Phil. Trans. 1774) in the latter half of the preceding century. In 

 the present century also many writers, TODD, H. and J. DAVY, &c. 

 (compare Phil. Trans, of the Roy. Soc. of London, 1816, 1832, 

 1834) have continued these inquiries, and have illustrated by many 

 experiments the chemical and magneto-electric properties of these 

 fishes. The electric organ of the Torpedo is sitiiated on each side 

 of the body and consists of a multitude of hexangular prisms or 

 membranous tubes, arranged side by side perpendicular to the 

 ventral and dorsal surfaces, which present numerous transverse 

 partitions of microscopic delicacy, on which the finest nervous fila- 

 ments are spread, and between which a fluid is contained. The 

 filaments arise from thick branches of the nervus vagus and also 

 from the fifth pair, which run to the electric apparatus. 



Compare, amongst the earlier writers, S. LORENZINI Observazioni intorno 

 alle Torpedini. Firenze, 1678, 4to, and J. HUNTER in Philos. Trans. 1773, 

 pp. 481 and foil. ; and amongst the more recent, especially P. SAVI Etudes 

 anatomiques sur le syst. nerveux et sur Vorgane electrique de la Torpille (illus- 

 trated by beautiful figures, and appended to C. MATTEUCCI Traite des pheno- 

 menes electro-physiologiques. Paris, 1844, 8vo), and R. WAGNER Ueberden 

 feineren Ban des electrischen Organs im Zitterrochen. Mit einer lithogr. 

 Tafel. Gottingen, 1847 (4w d. Abhandl. der Konigl. Gesellsch. der Wis- 

 sensck. in. Bid.). 



Sp. Torpedo ocellata RUDOLPHI, Torpedo Narlce Risso, BLOCH Icldh. Tab. 

 122, BLUMENBACH Abh. naturh. Gegenst. No. 57; Torpedo marmorata 

 RUDOLPHI, Torpedo Galvanii BONAP., Cuv. R. Ani., ed. ill., Poiss. PL 

 1 1 6, &c. 



Rhinobatus SCHN. Disc of body oblong or cordate, acuminate 

 anteriorly. Pectoral fins terminating in front of ventral. Head 

 in front of eyes, carinate. Teeth crowded, arranged in a quincunx. 

 Skin mostly rough, with scales or spines dispersed; a row of 

 spines in the middle of back. Tail with two dorsal fins and a 

 terminal fin bilobed. 



Sub-genera : Platyrhina MUELL. and HENLE, Trygonorhina M. 

 and H., Rhinobatus SCHN., Rhynchobatus M. and H., Rhina SCHN. 



Sp. Rhinobatus Icevis BL., SCHN. Syst. IcJith. Tab. 71, GUERIN Iconogr., 

 Poiss. PL 69, fig. i ; habit, in Indian and Red Seas. Rhinob. Columnce 

 BONAP. (Raja rkinobatus L.) &c. 



