374 



such or such a part of the skin. It may be con- 

 ceived, that a lateral stroke, out of the direct 

 current, must become imperceptible under the 

 two conditions of a very weak discharge, or a 

 very great obstacle presented by the nature and 

 length of the conductor. Notwithstanding these 

 considerations, it appears to me very surprising, 

 that shocks of the torpedo, very strong in ap- 

 pearance, are not propagated to the hand, when 

 a very thin plate of metal is interposed between 

 it and the fish. 



Doctor Schilling had announced, that the 

 gymnotus approached the loadstone involun- 

 tarily. We were astonished to find this idea 

 adopted by Mr. Pozo. We tried in a thousand 

 ways this pretended influence of the magnet on 

 the electrical organs, without having ever ob- 

 served : any sensible effect. The fish no more 

 approached the loadstone, than a bar of iron not 

 magnetic. Iron filings thrown on it's back re- 

 mained motionless. 



The gymnoti, objects of predilection and of 

 the most lively interest to the philosophers of 

 Europe, are at once dreaded and detested by 

 the natives. They furnish indeed, in their mus- 

 cular flesh, a pretty good aliment ; but the elec- 

 tric organ fills the greater part of their body, 

 and this organ is slimy and disagreeable to 

 the taste ; and accordingly it is separated with 

 care from the rest of the body. The presence 



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