TORPEDINID^. 333 



Baia torpedo, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 396 ; Briinn. Ich. Mass. p. 1 ; Donovan, 

 iii, pi. liii ; Shaw, Brit. Zool. r, t. 146 ; Turton, p. 110 ; Jenyns, Manual, p. 609. 



Torpedo marmorata, Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 20, pi. iii, f. 4, and Eur. Merid. iii, 

 p. 143. f. 9; Olfers, Torped. p. 14; Henle, Narcine, p. 30; Miill. and Henle, 

 p. 128 ; Gray, Chond. p. 100 ; Burner. Rev. Zool. 1852, p. 236, and Ich. i, p. 608 ; 

 Yarrell, Brit. Fish. (ed. 1) ii, p. 410, c. fig. (ed. 2) ii, p. 542 (ed. 3) ii, p. 539; 

 White, Catal. p. 136 ; Ganther, Oatal. viii, p. 450 ; Giglioli, Cat. Peso. Ital. p. 63 ; 

 Moreau, Poiss. de la France, i, p. 381. 



Torpedo galoani, Risso, Ich. Nice, p. 21, pi. iii, £ 5, and Eur. Merid. iii, p. 144; 

 Bonap. Fauna Ital. Peso. pi. cliii, f. 3, 4, 5 ; Canestrini, Faun. Ital. Peso. p. 53. 



Torpedo immaculata and punctata, Raf. Ind. pp. 60, 61. 



Torpedo vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. p. 169 ; Templeton, M. N. H. 1837 (2) i, 

 p. 413. 



Torpedo diversiaolor, Davy, Phil. Trans. 1834, ii, p. 550. 



Torpedo piota, Lowe, Proo. Zool. Soc. 1843, p. 93. 



Torpedo trepidans, Val. in Webb, and Berth. lies Canar. Poiss. p. 101 ; Dumeril, 

 Rev. Zool. 1852, p. 238, and Ich. i, p. 511. 



Torpedo hehetans, Val. 1. c. pi. zxiii (not Lowe). 



Narcacion polleni, Bleeker, Ned. Tyds. Dierk. iii, p. 171, and Fauna Mad. p. 1, 

 pi. i. 



This species of torpedo is subject to great variation in its form. The disk is 

 nearly circular or oval. Eyes — small, equalling one-third to one-fourth of the 

 width of the interorbital space. Spiracles behind the eyes, large and oval, with 

 seven or eight tentacles attached along their inner border. Fins — the first 

 dorsal fin not twice as large as the second ; its anterior half is situated above the 

 hind portion of the ventral fins ; the interspace between the first and second 

 dorsal short. Caudal well developed. Skin smooth. Colours — variable, spotted, 

 or marbled. Spots dark or even white and all intermediate shades. 



Miiller and Henle consider Donovan's figure to represent Torpedo oculata, 

 Belon, and remark that it is a marbled variety which they have not seen, while 

 Donovan does not record from whence the specimen was received. Though 

 Pennant certainly figures this species, and it has been admitted into our fauna by 

 all our Ichthyologists since his time, I cannot resist being doubtful of its occur- 

 rence off our shores, and that further evidence is required. Couch only admitted 

 a single form, the one last described. 



Habits. — See last species. 



Habitat. — Mediterranean and along the Atlantic to Madeira, the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and Madagascar. The existence of British specimens is doubtful. 



Example figured is 9f inches, and in the National Museum from Madeira. 



