422 
ORDERS OF FISHES— EELS 
in the delta of the Orinoco, we entered a large 
creek flowing into the main stream from the 
south, and ascended it to the head of canoe navi- 
gation. It was a clear and beautiful stream, full 
of zoological wonders, and its Venezuelan name 
was Canyo del Toro, or Bull Creek. On the way 
up, our bow boatman checked the speed of the 
canoe, pointed to a straight, round stick of wood 
floating in the water about a foot below the sur- 
face, and said in an awe-struck tone, “ Trem- 
blajlor! Grande!” 
The stick of wood was smooth, barkless, and of 
a bluish-gray color; and in reality it was a large 
specimen of the renowned and dreaded Electric 
Eel. 
Acting on the collector’s principle that the 
first specimen seen must be the first one taken, 
my companion poised his capybara spear, and 
drove it into the creature’s body. The detach- 
able head promptly came off, and the spearman 
held fast to the handle. 
Instantly the big Eel became a storm centre 
of the first magnitude ; and it writhed and strug- 
gled, and thrashed about until it struck against 
the handle of the spear. Mr. Jackson received 
such a shock that he cried out from the pain of it, 
and dropped the spear -handle, which floated on 
the water. 
But not for long. My friend recovered his 
spear -handle, and drew the fiercely struggling 
Eel within striking distance of the canoe. When- 
ever it struck the side of the boat, either with 
head or tail, we were thrilled by a shock. At 
last, two or three severe blows on the head, with 
the club used for killing capybaras, seemed to 
settle matters, and against the protests of An- 
tonio, the creature was dragged aboard. 
To all appearances, the Eel was dead; but a 
few moments later when Antonio chanced to 
touch it with his bare foot, at once he broke out 
in a torrent of anathemas upon all “ trembladors.” 
As an experiment, I touched its head with the 
tip of my finger, and instantly received a shock 
so severe that my nerves tingled for an hour. A 
more vigorous application of the capybara club 
finally killed the creature, and its electric power 
died with it. 
This specimen measured 6 feet 4 inches in 
length, and I believe that when delivered to ad- 
vantage its electric power was sufficient to ad- 
minister a severe shock to the largest elephant. 
Woe to the crocodile or shark which attempts 
to dine or sup at the expense of Gym-no' tus elec'- 
tricus ! While on the Canyo del Toro we saw 
about ten specimens, always of the same float- 
ing-stick appearance, and captured four. 
The Tamper “Eel,” as the Lamprey is very 
frequently called, is not a true eel of any sort, 
and it will be found in its proper place, immedi- 
ately following the fishes. It is so low in the 
zoological scale that for it and kindred forms a 
separate Class has been provided. 
