ANIMATED FORESTS. IG] 



it in 1750, and attributed the effects to electricity. 

 The Dutch pliysiciaii and philosopher, Gravesende, 

 recognised the galvanic nature of the shocks given 

 by this animal. " The effect produced by this 

 fish," he wrote in 1755, " is the same as that 

 caused by the Leyden jar, only .with this difference, 

 that no spark is observed, however strong the shock 

 may be ; for if the fish is a large one, those who 

 touch it are struck down, and feel the shock through 

 their whole body." 



The gymnotus does not seem to make any use of 

 his weapon except in self-defence. He feeds on 

 small fishes and worms, of which great numbers are 

 found in the waters of South America and the Indian 

 seas. The torpedo is more cosmopolitan ; it is no- 

 toriously frequent in the seas of Europe. These two 

 monsters, depositories of thunder, appear to share 

 between them the universe of waters. Like the ray, 

 the turbot, and the sole, the torpedo prefers for his 

 portion the sandy flats and shallows ; the gymnotus 

 hides among the rocks, in clear waters, and in the 

 neighbourhood of rivers, which he often ascends. 



4. Animated Forests — Animal Stonos. 



The bottom of the sea is an enchanted country : 

 the animals, its inhabitants, are self-luminous; they 



M 



