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THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



of any animal bold enough to swallow 

 one alive — it would completely outclass 

 that of the foolish monk wlio swallowed 

 the dried peas. The insulating principles 

 of tl:e fish are evidently very well ar- 

 ranged, since the discharge loses none 

 of its intensity even when the tish is 

 lying on wet sand, and, as was proved, 

 can he transmitted along a wet stick 

 from the water, which is not a little 

 remarkable. 



Near the eyes of the specimen refer- 

 red to above, were three leeches of a 

 kind peculiar to (isli. which aroused 

 some comment as to th.eir circumstances 

 iluring- a discharge. Do they too re- 

 ceive a shock or are they insulated, or 

 have they evolved some modification 

 which I'educes the shock to a merely 

 j^lea^ant tickling sensation? 



The electric organs of Euro}>ean 

 numbfishes have l)een studied in detail, 

 and most interesting data concerning- 

 them have Ijeen gathered together. The 

 organ consists of a series of hexagonal 

 cells arranged vertically between the 

 upper and lower surfaces, and filled 

 with a jelly-like sul)stance. The dis- 

 charge has all the properties of elec- 

 tricity, and will both cause a spark and 

 magnetise the needle. 



There are three different kindp of 

 numbfishes so far recorded from the 

 waters of tliis State, but two of these 

 are restricted to deeper water, and are 

 taken only by the trawlers. A fine ex- 

 ample over two feet in length, well 

 worth seeing if one is interested in 

 these things, is on exhil)ition in ihe 

 Australian Museum. 



Notes and News. 



Lkctures to the Blixu. — To serve the 

 people is first and last the aim of the 

 Australian Museum. The old-fashioned 

 museums did not trouble about people 

 Avho could not help themselves, but, 

 while those who are clever and strong 

 need little help, those of our fellow 



nuiseums in America. Mr. C. Hedley, 

 a member of our staff, who was study- 

 ing the improvements in museum ad- 

 ministration practised in New York, l)e- 

 eame interested in their treatment of 

 blind visitors. On his leturn to Syd- 

 nev he introduced their method of lee- 



Blind students from the New South Wales Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, and the 

 Blind, in the Australian Museum Lecture The atre. After the various animals have been 



described by the senior demonstrator they are handled by the students who, aided by his 

 assistants, are thus enabled to form some idea of the size, shape and texture of the 

 specimens. Photo. — ''-3:. C. Cluttoii. 



■citizens who are weak and helpless re- luring to the blind. Some article from 



quire our consideration. A better way the Museum collection, such as a mounted 



in this direction as in many others has animal or a native weapon, is chosen 



been pointed out by the newer of the by the speaker. In simple language he 



