92 Mr. Clift’s experiments to ascertain the injiuence of 
in which it swam, with the tail, fins, and gills in full action ; 
in forty minutes the fish turned upon its side, the action of the 
heart weak, the frequency of pulsations the same; the fins 
ceased to act, the tail continued to act feebly, the gills 
strongly. 
In an hour, the action of the heart was weaker, the fre- 
quency of pulsations the same. 
In two hours, the action of the heart and gills was not per- 
ceptible in the water, but when taken out and examined, the 
gills had a feeble action by irregular jerks ; the pulsations of 
the heart were very weak, and rather more frequent. 
In three hours, the heart and gills had ceased to act, and 
the muscles of the body did not contract when stimulus was 
applied* to them. 
In the other carp, the heart pulsated eight times in a minute. 
The fish was laid upon a moist leaden tray. In one hour the 
pulsations were ten in a minute ; in an hour and half, twelve, 
the fins and tail in full motion. In two hours, the pulsations 
were a little weaker, but of the same frequency. In three 
hours and forty minutes the action of the heart ceased. The 
gill covers acted fifteen minutes longer. 
Exp. 2. Having exposed the heart of a carp as in the for- 
mer experiment, the pulsations were found to be eight in a 
minute. In eleven minutes, a red hot wire was passed from 
the tail to the occiput, so as to destroy the spinal marrow ; the 
action of the heart was immediately quickened for three beats ; 
then a long pause, after which the pulsations were the same 
as before. All action ceased in the muscles behind the pec- 
toral fins, and those muscles did not contract, when stimulus 
was applied to them. 
