52 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



first; caudal slightly emarginate, its width and length nearly 

 equal, about two sevenths of width of disk. The upper surface 

 is dark purplish brown with a few darker spots distributed over 

 it; beneath white. 



The torpedo is found on the Atlantic coast of the United 

 States from Cape Cod to Florida; it occurs also in the West 

 Indies. The fish is usually uncommon except in Buzzards bay 

 and Vineyard sound. It reaches the length of 5 feet and the 

 weight of 100 pounds. 



Mitchill placed a torpedo among the fishes of New York 

 on the authority of fishermen and others who had seen the 

 species and knew of its peculiar electric properties. De Kay 

 did not see the fish and merely refers to the probability of its 

 occurrence and its relation to the genus Torpedo. 



The existence of a torpedo on the coast of Massachusetts 

 was made known by Storer in 1843, when he described a speci- 

 men caught at Wellfleet, in November 1842. Capt. At wood, 

 a well known former resident of Provincetown Mass. informed 

 Dr Storer that he had received a great many powerful shocks 

 from the fish which threw him to the ground; these were pro- 

 duced by touching the animal. He also received shocks by tak- 

 ing hold of a harpoon which was struck into the fish. Storer 

 relates an anecdote illustrating the effect produced on a dog. 



Mr Newcomb sr, the oldest fisherman in Boston market, stated 

 to me that his father, who resided at Wellfleet, had a dog which 

 frequently waded into the shallow waters of the coves and 

 brought out flounders which he had seized with his mouth. In 

 one of his fishing excursions he attacked a torpedo, which per- 

 fectly convulsed him. He dropped the fish and ran away howl- 

 ing most piteously, and could never be persuaded to resume 

 his fishing. 



At Woods Hole Mass. the torpedo is most abundant in 

 October and November. At times as many as six are taken at 

 one lift of a trap at Menemsha. The smallest weigh 4 or 5 

 pounds, the largest 75 pounds. 



