CARAPO GYMNOTE. 61 



the eyes are very small,, and the front of the head is 

 marked, as in the preceding species, by a number 

 of small round pores : the body gradually decreases 

 towards the tail, which is extremely slender, and 

 terminates in a point. The colour of the whole ani- 

 mal is brown, marked by a few irregular spots or 

 patches of a deeper cast : the scales are small, and 

 the lateral line strait. This fish is a native of the 

 American seas, and is said to be most frequent 

 about the coast of Surinam. It is supposed to live 

 chiefly on small fishes, sea insects, &a Whether 

 it possesses any electric power, like the former spe- 

 cies, may be doubted ; yet the structure of the lower- 

 part of the body seems to imply somewhat of a 

 similar contrivance of Nature. The usual length 

 of the Carapo is from one to two feet ; but it is 

 sometimes found of the length of three feet, and of 

 the weight of more than ten pounds. It is consi- 

 dered as an esculent fish by the South-Americans. 



