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Their electric force diminishes, it is said, in 

 colder waters ; and it is remarkable, that in 

 general, as a celebrated naturalist has already 

 observed, animals endowed with electromotive 

 organs, the effects of which are sensible to man, 

 are not found in the air, but in a fluid that is a 

 conductor of electricity. The gymnotus is the 

 largest of electrical fishes. I measured some, 

 that were from five feet to five feet three inches 

 long ; and the Indians assert, that they have 

 seen still longer. We found, that a fish of three 

 feet ten inches long weighed twelve pounds. 

 The transverse diameter of the body, without 

 reckoning the anal fin, which is elongated in 

 the form of a keel, was three inches five lines. 

 The gymnoti of Cano de Bera are of a fine olive- 

 green. The under part of the head is yellow 

 mingled with red. Two rows of small yellow 

 spots are placed symmetrically along the back, 

 from the head to the end of the tail. Every 

 spot contains an excretory aperture. In con- 

 sequence, the skin of the animal is constantly 

 covered with a mucous matter, which, as Volta 

 has proved, conducts electricity twenty or thirty 

 times better than pure water. It is in general 

 somewhat remarkable, that no electrical fish, 

 yet discovered* in the different parts of the 

 world, is covered with scales. 



* We yet know with certainty only seven electrical fishes ; 



