THE ELECTRIC EEt.. 18'J 



Of this extraordinary fish. 



situation of the vent in this fish is very singular, 

 being placed underneath, and being about an incli 

 more forward than the pectoral fins, and conse- 

 quently considerably nearer the rostrum. 



" There are two pectoral fins, (if I may call 

 them so,) placed one on each side, just behind 

 the head, over the foramina spiratoria, which are 

 small, and generally covered with a lax skin, 

 situated in the axillae of these fins. These fins 

 are small for the size of the fish, being scarcely 

 an inch in length, and of a very thin delicate 

 consistence, and orbicular shape. They seem to 

 be chiefly used in supporting and raising the 

 head of the fish when he wants to breathe, which 

 he does every four or five minutes, by raising his 

 mouth out of the water. This shews that he has 

 lungs and is amphibious, aad the foramina spira- 

 toria seem to indicate his having branchiae like- 

 wise; but this I only offer as a conjecture, not 

 being certain of the fact. I must now mention 

 the appearances of a number of small cross 

 bands, annular divisions, or rather wrinkles of 

 the skin of the body. They reach across the 

 body down to the base of the carina on each side; 

 but those that cross the back seem to terminate 

 at the lateral lines, where new rings take their 

 rise, not exactly in the same line, and run down 

 to the carina. This gives the fish somewhat of a 

 worm-like appearance; and, indeed, it seems to 

 have some of the properties of this tribe; for it 

 has a power of lengthening or shortening its 



