20 Proceedings of the 



Bryson, for his Grace the Duke of Buccleuch, and the results, according 

 to Mr Stewart, Hillside, Loekerby, have been satisfactory. In conclusion, 

 he remarked that trustworthy observations would not be secured, for 

 generalizations respecting the distribution of rain, until some simple, 

 easily constructed, and inexpensive but accurate form of gauge be adopted, 

 such as he believed his instrument to be ; and sunk in a grass plot, as free 

 from the influence of trees, buildings, or local currents of wind as prac- 

 ticable, the grass around the funnel beiug occasionally trimmed. 



II. On Electrical Fishes ; ivith a description, of a neiv Species of Malap- 

 terurus from Old Calabar, received from the Rev. Hope M.Waddell, 

 Missionary there. By Andrew Murray, Esq., W.S. 



This paper, which will be found in extenso in the Edinburgh New 

 Philosophical Journal, New Series, vol. ii., commenced with a re- 

 view of what is known on the subject of electric fishes. After narrating 

 the various discoveries made by Walsh, Cavendish, and others, down to 

 Faraday's recent investigations, Mr Murray passed in review the different 

 fishes to which electric properties belonged, or were supposed to belong, 

 describing the electrical organs peculiar to each as he went along : — The 

 Raia torpedo (Torpedo vulgaris), Torpedo galvanii, T. trepidans, T. 

 hebetans, T. marmorata, Narcine brasiliensis, iV. indicus, N. timlei, 

 N. tasmaniensis , Astrape capensis, and A. dipterygia, were specified 

 as belonging to the Ray family, and the singular organ in the tail of the 

 skate was commented on. The Rhinobatis, the Gymnoti, (G. electricus, 

 G. fasciatus, and G. cequilabiatus) , were severally noticed. The experi- 

 ments on the G. electricus, and discoveries made through them, being de- 

 tailed at some length. The title of the Trichiurus electricus and Tetro- 

 don electricus, to be considered electric fishes, was next discussed, and, 

 after giving some interesting details relating to the Silurus glanis, as 

 representing the family to which the Malapteruri belong, Mr Murray 

 narrated what was known of the Malapterurus electricus found in the 

 Nile, and, from evidence which he quoted, expressed his conviction that 

 there were more species of Malapterurus than the Nile species. In con- 

 clusion, he gave the description of a new species sent to him from Old 

 Calabar by the Rev. H. M. Waddell of the United Presbyterian Church 

 Mission stationed there, And to it he had given the name of M. Beni- 

 nensis, as marking the locality in which it had been discovered (see Plate). 

 From the description given, it appeared that the principal differences be- 

 tween the Malapterurus electricus and this species are the following : 

 The former is a larger fish, reaching 14 and even 21 inches in length, 

 while the ordinary dimensions of this would appear to be from four to 

 eight inches. The formula of the number of rays in the fins of the two 

 fishes also differ. The number in the ventrals and caudal are the same, 

 but the Nile fish has nine in the pectoral and twelve in the anal, while 

 in this fish there are respectively only eight and eight. In the M. elec- 



