LECTURE VIII. 
S6 
Electric Eel. It is an animal of an unpleasant ap- 
pearance, bearing a general resemblance to a very 
large Eel, but thicker in proportion, and is gene- 
rally of a very dark blackish brown colour. The 
length of such specimens as k^ve been brought 
into Europe have hardly exceeded three or four 
feet, but in its native regions of South-America, 
and particularly in the river Surinam in the pro- 
vince of that name, it is said to arrive at the 
length of seven, ten, or even fifteen feet. It was 
first made known to the Philosophers of Europe 
about the year 1671 a when its wonderful proper- 
ties were described to the French academy by a 
Dr. Richer, one of those sent out by the academy 
to conduct some mathematical observations at 
Cayenne. The fish possesses the highest possible 
degree of natural electricity or galvanism, so that 
when touched it communicates a very powerful 
electric shock j so powerful indeed that it is 
affirmed to be sometimes fatal to incautious 
swimmers who happen to encounter it in its na- 
tive waters. By this electric power it supports 
its life ; suddenly stupifying such smaller fishes or 
other animals on which it preys, and then devour- 
ing them. To those who may wish for a more 
