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The figures of the columns are very irregular, 
varying according to fituation and other circum- 
ftances. The greateft number of them are either 
irregular Hexagons, or irregular Pentagons ; but 
from the irregularity of fome of them, it happens 
that a pretty regular quadrangular column is fome- 
times formed. Thofe of the exterior row are ei- 
ther quadrangular or hexagonal ; having one fide 
external, two lateral, and either one or two inter- 
nal, In the fecond row they are moftly pen- 
tagons. 
Their coats are very thin, and feem tranfparent, 
clofely connected with each other, having a kind 
of loofe network of tendinous fibres, palling tranf- 
verfely and obliquely between the columns, and 
uniting them more firmly together. Thefe are 
moftly obfervable where the large trunks of the 
nerves pafs. The columns are alfo attached by 
ftrong inelaftic fibres, palling diredtly from the one 
to the other. 
The number of columns in different Torpedos 
of the fize of that now offered to the Society, ap^ 
peared to be about 470 in each organ, but the 
number varies according to the fize of the fifh 
Thefe columns increafe, not only in fize, but in 
number, during the growth of the animal : new 
ones forming perhaps every year on the exterior 
edges, as there they are much the fmalleff. This 
procefs may be limilar to the formation of new 
teeth, in the human jaw, as it increafes. 
* In a very large Torpedo, the number of columns in Gne 
sle&ric organ were 1182. 
> 
Eaclx 
