Defer. 
68 CRAMP RAY. Ch IV. 
But great as its powers are when the fifh is in vi- 
gor, they are impaired as it declines in ftrength, 
and totally ceafe when it expires. They impute no 
noxious qualities to it as a food, being commonly 
eat by the French, who find them more frequently 
on their coafts than we do on ours. 
This wonderful faculty is occafioned by a moft 
rapid, frequent, and violent contraction and exertion 
of its mufcles, againft any object that touches it. 
The caufe is prettily explained by M. Reaumur*, to 
whom we refer the inquifitive reader for a farther 
account. } 
We may mention a double ufe in this ftrange power 
the torpedo is endued with ; the one, when it is ex- 
erted as a means of defence againft voracious fith, 
who are at a touch deprived of all poffibility of 
feizing their prey. 
The other is well explained by Py, who tells us, 
it attains by the fame powers its end in refpect to 
thofe fifh it wifhes to enfnare. Novit torpedo vim 
fuam, ipfa non torpens; merfaque in limo fe occultat 
pifcium qui fecurt fupernatantes obtorpuere, corri- 
eps. 
Thefe fith are fometimes found of the weight of 
fifteen pounds. 
The body is almoft circular, and is thicker than 
others of the ray kind. The fkin is foft, fmooth, 
* Hift. de PAcademie des Sciences, 1714+ 
** « The torpedo is well acquainted with its own powers, 
** tho’ itfelf never affected by them. It conceals itfelf in the 
** mud, and benumbing the fith that are carelefsly fwimming 
‘© about, makes a ready prey of them.” 
and 
