TOL. LXV.] PHILOSOPHICAl. TRANSACTIONS. 603 



that when they were first caught, they could give a much stronger shock by a 

 metalline conductor than they can do at present. The person who is to receive 

 the shock must take the fish with both hands, at some considerable distance 

 asunder, so as to form the communication, otherwise he will not receive it ; at 

 least he never saw any one shocked from taking hold of it with one hand only : 

 though some have assured him that they were shocked by laying one hand on 

 him. When it is taken hold of with one hand, and the other hand is put into 

 the water over its body, without touching it, the person receives a smart shock ; 

 and the same effect follows, when a number join hands, and the person atone 

 extremity of the circle takes hold of, or touches the fish, and the person at the 

 other extremity puts his hand into the water, over the body of the fish. The 

 shock was communicated through the whole circle, as smartly as if both the ex- 

 treme persons had touched the fish. In this it seems to differ widely from the 

 torpedo, or else we are much misinformed of the manner in which the benumb- 

 ing effect of that fish is communicated. The shock which our Surinam fish 

 gives, seems to be wlioUy electrical ; and all the phenomena or properties of it 

 exactly resemble those of the electric aura of our atmosphere when collected, as 

 far as they are discoverable from the several trials made on this fish. This stroke 

 is communicated by the same conductors, and intercepted by the interposition of 

 the same original electrics, or electrics per se, as they used to be called. The 

 keeper of this fish says, that he catched them in Surinam river, a great way up, 

 beyond where the salt water reaches ; and that they are a fresh water fish 

 only. He says, that they are eaten, and by some people esteemed a great 

 delicacy. They live on fish, worms, or any animal food, if it is cut small, so 

 that they can swallow it. When small live fishes are thrown into the water, 

 they first give them a shock, which kills or so stupifies them, that they can 

 swallow them easily, and without any trouble. If one of these small fishes, 

 after it is shocked, and to all appearance dead, be taken out of the vessel where 

 the electrical fish is, and put into fresh water, it will soon revive again. If a 

 larger fish than they can swallow be thrown into the water, at a time that they 

 are hungry, they give him some smart shocks, till he is apparently dead, and 

 then they try to swallow or suck him in ; but, after several attempts, finding he 

 is too large, they quit him. On the most careful inspection of such fish, Dr. 

 G. could never see any mark of teeth, or the least wound or scratch on them. 

 When the electrical fish are hungry, they are pretty keen after their food ; but 

 they are soon satisfied, not being able to contain much at one time. An electri- 

 cal fish of 3 feet and upwards in length cannot swallow a small fish above 3, or 

 at most 3^ inches long. I have had Mr. Bancroft's Essay on the Natural His- 

 tory of Guiana put into my hands, in which I find an account of this animal ; 

 but, as I think that he has not been very particular in the description of it, I 



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