92 ELECTRIC RAY. Class IV. 



They will live four and twenty hours out of the 

 fea 5 and but very little longer if placed in frefh 

 water. 



They inhabit fandy places; and will bury 

 themfelves fuperficially in it, by flinging the fand 

 over, by a quick flapping of all the extremities. 

 It is in this fituation that the torpedo gives his moft 

 forcible fhock, v/hich throws down the aftonifhed 

 paflenger, who inadvertently treads upon him. 



In our feas it grows to a great flze, and above 

 eighty pounds weight. My defcription was taken 

 from a fmaller, which I had the pleafure of doing 

 In company with Mr. Walfh, 



Its length was eighteen inches from the head 

 to the tip of the tail ; the greateft breadth twelve 

 inches. I could not inform myfelf of the weight 

 of this ; but that of one, that meafured four feet 

 in length, and two and a half in breadth, was 

 fifty-three pounds, avoirdupoife. 



The tail was fix inches long ; was pretty thick 

 and round : the caudal fin broad and abrupt. 



The head and body, which were indiftin6l, were 

 nearly round \ about two inches thick in the mid- 

 dle, attenuating to extreme thinnefs on the edges : 

 below the body, the ventral fins formed on each 

 fide a quarter of a circle. The two dorfal fins 

 were placed on the trunk of the tail. 



The eyes were fmall, placed near each other: 

 behind each was a round fpiracle, with fix fmall 

 cutaneous rags on their inner circumference. 



Mouth 



