1 47 * 3 
afcent.j both which fhocks, but particularly the 
laft, were accompanied with a writhing in his 
body, as if meant to force an efcape : Befides 
thefe two fhocks from the furface of the water, 
which may yet be confidered as delivered in the* 
air, he conftantly gave at leaft two, when wholly 
in the air, and conftantly one and fometimes two, 
when wholly in the water. The fhocks in water 
appeared, as far as fenfation could decide, not to 
have near a fourth of the force of thofe at the 
furface of the water, nor much more than a fourth 
of thofe intirely in air. 
The fhocks received in a certain time were not, 
on this occafion, counted by a watch, as they 
had been on a former, when fifty were delivered, 
in a minute and a half, by the animal in an in- 
fulated and unagitated ftate : But from the quick- 
nefs, with which the immerfions were made, it 
may be prefumed there were full twenty of thefe 
in a minute ; from whence the number of fhocks, 
in that time, muft have amounted to above an 
hundred. This experiment, therefore, while it 
difcovered the comparative force between a fhock 
in water and one in air, and between a fhock 
delivered with greater exertion on the part of 
the animal and one with lefs, feemed to de- 
termine, that the charge of his organs with elec- 
tricity was effe&ed in an inftant, as well as the 
difcharge. 
The Torpedo was then put into a flat bafket, 
open at top, but fecured by a net with wide 
mefhes, and, in this confinement, was let down 
into the water, about a foot below the furface ; 
being 
