[ 3 ] 
ferved feveral times, that the fhocks, when they followed 
one another very fall, were llronger at laft than in the 
beginning ; and this was the fame when the filli was un- 
der water as when kept out of it. The preffure of my 
fingers, more or lefs ftrong, did not feem to make any al- 
teration in the powers of the torpedo. Applying a 
brafs chain to the back of the fifh, where I had put my 
thumb before, I found no fenfation at all in my hand^ 
though I repeated the experiment often, and applied the 
chain for a fpace of tijne in v/hich I always perceived a 
ftroke^^"^. This was probably owing to the weaknefs of 
the fifli in winter; or, perhaps, becaufe I negle6led to 
put my finger to its oppofite fide. Having infulated 
myfelf on an ele6trical Hand, and keeping the torpedo in 
my hand, in the manner abovementioned, I gave not the 
lead: fign of being ele<Strified, whether I received a ftroke 
from the fifh or not. T he torpedo being fufpended by 
a clean and dry filk ribbon, it attradted no light bodies, 
fuch as pith-balls, or others, put near it. A coated bot- 
tle applied to the fifli, thus fufpended, did not at all be- 
come charged. When the fifli gave the fhock in the 
dark, I heard no crackling noife, nor perceived any fpark. 
When pinced with my nails, it did not give more or 
fewer flrokes than when not pinced. But by folding his 
(a J Dr. iNGENHousz means, that he felt no fhock, though he fawthe animal, 
by the contortion of its body, give one to the chain. At that time he did not feem 
to know, that though tlie fhock would be communicated by a rod of any metal, 
it could not be fo by a chain, or where there was the leafl interruption of conti- 
nuity, 
B z 
body, 
