194 NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Experiments by Dr. Williamson. 



held his hand in water. The experiment of Dr< 

 Bancroft were equally satisfactory. 



Dr. Williamson, in a letter inserted in the 

 Philosophical Transactions, says, that on touch- 

 ing an electrical eel with one hand, a sensation 

 is experienced similar to that arising from touch- 

 ing the conductor of an electrical machine ; with 

 a short iron rod the same was felt, but less power- 

 fully. While another person provoked the fish, 

 Dr. Williamson put his hand into the water, at 

 the distance of three feet from it, and felt an 

 unpleasant sensation in the joints of his fingers. 

 Some small fish were thrown into the water, and 

 the animal immediately stunned and swallowed 

 them. A larger fish was thrown in, which he 

 stunned likewise, and attempted to swallow, but 

 from its size he could not do it. Dr. Williamson 

 put his hand into the water, and had another fish 

 thrown in at some distance. The eel swain up 

 to it, and at first turned away without offering 

 it any violence ; after a little time he returned, 

 and looking stedfastly at it a few seconds, gave 

 it a shock, by which it instantly turned upon its 

 back, and became motionless. Dr. W. at that 

 very instant felt the same sensation in his fingers 

 as when he put his hand into the water before. 

 A fish was afterwards struck, but not quite killed ; 

 when the electric eel p.erceived this he returned, 

 and at a second shock, evidently more severe 

 than the former, rendered it motionless. On 

 2 



