270 ELECTRIC FISHES. 



as an animal, or particularly as an animal of a certain 

 class adapted for living in a certain element. They do 

 not, for instance, belong to the torpedo generally be- 

 cause it is a fish, but peculiarly because it is a fish 

 capable of imparting electric shocks ; and if one were 

 to find organs of a similar kind in any other animal, 

 whether a fish or not, the natural conclusion would 

 be, that that animal was electric. Although, therefore, 

 we are unable to trace the action of the electric power 

 all the way up to the volition of the fish, we can con- 

 clude from the presence of the organ, that the power 

 exists. 



The other fishes that have electric powers are all 

 natives of warmer countries, and most of them are 

 found in rivers ; and even the torpedo is said to be 

 much more powerful in its action in warmer countries 

 than it is in England. There is, therefore, some proba- 

 bility that the action is, in some way or other, influenced 

 by temperature and light." Indeed it is highly probable 

 that the sun has much more influence in producing the 

 phenomena of nature, than we are in the habit of sup- 

 posing. We know that colours and tastes and scents 

 are all elaborated by the sun ; for when the summer is 

 more than usually cold and cloudy, the flowers are de- 

 ficient both in beauty and in fragrance, and the fruits 

 in taste ; and as we pass into warmer latitudes we find 

 all these qualities increased. Nor is it a mere darkening 

 of the hues, but apparently a greater activity in the 

 structure of the leaf; for the same sunny weather which 

 increases the crimson of the rose, gives more snowy and 

 pearly lustre to the lily. The subject, it must be ad- 

 mitted, is a nice and difficult one ; but it does not 



