RAID^. TORPEDO RAYS. 177 



and Henle, however, whose method is chiefly founded 

 on these organs, gives the generic character to this 

 group of having one row of teeth in each jaw. We 

 believe that both these accounts, however apparently 

 conflicting, may be essentially correct, when applied to 

 different species ; and this only adds another to the 

 numberless instances that may be cited of the subordi- 

 nate value which such dental characters possess, when 

 employed generically. 



(156.) The torpedo rays appear to follow next 

 in the natural series. These fishes have long acquired 

 celebrity from the powers of electricity they possess ; 

 while their shape is so remarkably singular, that they 

 appear more like gigantic tadpoles than fish : the head 

 seems of an enormous size, owing to its being completely 

 surrounded by the pectoral fins ; which latter, from not 

 being angulated, as in the other rays, make the head 

 appear, in some species, completely circular : so far, 

 indeed, the general structure is in much accordance 

 with the last two sub-families ; but now the tail begins 

 to assume the usual shape of other fishes ; although not 

 longer than the head and body, it is thick and fleshy, 

 terminated by a distinct caudal fin, and bearing above 

 it two dorsals : but all these three fins are much smaller 

 than the ventrals ; these are triangular, and placed on 

 each side the vent, which is in the middle of the fish. 

 The situation of the eyes, the mouthy and the branchial 

 spiracles, is precisely the same as in the thornbacks. 



(157-) The torpedos appear to be of many species,, 

 and to inhabit the seas of nearly all temperate and 

 tropical latitudes. As we cannot well pass over the 

 extraordinary properties of these fishes, and yet cannot 

 speak of them from our own observation, the reader will 

 understand that the following account is abridged from 

 the best authors who have written upon the subject. 

 The form of the electric torpedo is much the same as 

 that of the spotted Indian species (fig, 21.): the size, of 

 course, varies; its general length is about two feet; 



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