Queer Game 



tion, I allowed the fish to remain where it was, and 

 slowly pulled the boat in shore. 



" When we grounded upon the beach I took a 

 turn about the line with a cider bottle, which I found, 

 and with this home-made insulator pulled the fish 

 ashore. It was one of the largest torpedoes or electric 

 rays I had ever seen or ever taken, and capable, under 

 certain conditions, of almost killing a human being. 

 It was of an almost oval shape, with a small tail, the 

 side lobes being taken up by the electric organs, which 

 extended from side to side, the ends of the cells being 

 visible from either side. 



;< When touched, the fish would roll its eyes dis- 

 mally, utter a low croak, and give what was almost a 

 knock-down shock. No one has ever been killed by 

 one of these fishes, but several people, as in the case 

 of my friend, whose recovery was not complete for 

 a week, have been seriously injured by them." 



The torpedo is one of the rays, and illustrates an 

 extremely interesting phase of the defensive side of 

 life, being provided with a very powerful electric 

 battery capable of benumbing enemies of large size. 



" Speaking of queer game," said another, " re- 

 minds me of a singular experience I once had in 

 Japan. I was at the time trying to find out some- 

 thing about the game fishes of Japan, and I found 

 the greatest pleasure among the native fishermen, 

 who employed many and singular devices. There 

 were men who made a specialty of net-fishing, 



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