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spines to the highest possible degree, as if en- 

 deavouring to wound in all directions, till after 

 having tired itself by its vain efforts, it suddenly 

 expels the air from its body, and becomes placid 

 for some time ; but when drawn towards the 

 shore, redoubles its rage, and again inflates its 

 body : in this state it is left on the sand, it being 

 impossible to touch it without danger till it is 

 dead. It is a native of the Indian and American 

 seas, and is considered as a coarse fish, but is 

 sometimes eaten by the inhabitants of the West 

 India islands. Bullock's Curiosities. 



THE TORPEDO, OR NUMB-FISH. 

 The Torpedo has been celebrated, both by 

 ancients and moderns, for its wonderful faculty 

 of causing a numbness or painful sensation in 

 the limbs of those who touch or handle it. 

 The shock or sensation given by this fish is 

 attended with all the effects of that produced 

 by an electrical machine, so far as experiment 

 hitherto has enabled us to discover. Although 

 this fish does not appear to be furnished with 

 any striking exterior qualities ; although it has 



