422 



OKDERS OP FISHES— EELS 



in the delta of the Orinoco, we entered a large 

 creek flowing into the main stream from the 

 south, and ascended it to the head of canoe navi- 

 gation. It was a clear and beautiful stream, full 

 of zoological wonders, and its Venezuelan name 

 was Canyd del Toro, or Bull Creek. On the way 

 up, our bow boatman checked the speed of the 

 canoe, pointed to a straight, round stick of wood 

 floating in the water about a foot below the sur- 

 face, and said in an awe-struck tone, " Trem- 

 blador! Grande!" 



The stick of wood was smooth, barkless, and of 

 a bluish-gray color ; and in reality it was a large 

 specimen of the renowned and dreaded Electric 

 Eel. 



Acting on the collector's principle that the 

 first specimen seen must be the first one taken, 

 my companion poised his eapybara spear, and 

 drove.it into the creature's body. The detach- 

 able head promptly came off, and the spearman 

 held fast to the handle. 



Instantly the big Eel became a storm centre 

 of the first magnitude ; and it writhed and strug- 

 gled, and thrashed about until it struck against 

 the handle of the spear. Mr. Jackson received 

 such a shock that he cried out from the pain of it, 

 and dropped the spear -handle, which floated on 

 the water. 



But not for long. My friend recovered his 

 spear -handle, and drew the fiercely struggling 

 Eel within striking distance of the canoe. When- 



ever it struck the side of the boat, either with 

 head or tail, we were thrilled by a shock. At 

 last, two or three severe blows on the head, with 

 the club used for killing capybaras, seemed to 

 settle matters, and against the protests of An- 

 tonio, the creature was dragged aboard. 



To all appearances, the Eel was dead; but a 

 few moments later when Antonio chanced to 

 touch it with his bare foot, at once he broke out 

 in a torrent of anathemas upon all " trembladors." 

 As an experiment, I touched its head with the 

 tip of my finger, and instantly received a shock 

 so severe that my nerves tingled for an hour. A 

 more vigorous application of the eapybara club 

 finally killed the creature, and its electric power 

 died with it. 



This specimen measured 6 feet 4 inches in 

 length, and I believe that when delivered to ad- 

 vantage its electric power was sufficient to ad- 

 minister a severe shock to the largest elephant. 

 Woe to the crocodile or shark which attempts 

 to dine or sup at the expense of Gym-no'tus elec'- 

 tricus! While on the Canyo del Toro we saw 

 about ten specimens, always of the same float- 

 ing-stick appearance, and captured four. 



The Lamper "Eel," as the Lamprey is very 

 frequently called, is not a true eel of any sort, 

 and it will be found in its proper place, immedi- 

 ately following the fishes. It is so low in the 

 zoological scale that for it and kindred forms a 

 separate Class has been provided. 



