AND OBSERVATIONS ON THE TORPEDO. 
267 
Grains. 
Upper valvular intestine 29*0 
Lower intestine 5*0 
Electrical organs 302*0 
Head, separated at first vertebra 165*0 
Thorax, consisting of cartilaginous case and muscles, with 
pectoral fins attached 670*0 
Abdomen, without its contents 440*0 
Tail, separated just below the anus 195*0 
By exposure to the heat of boiling water for about sixteen hours, the dif- 
ferent parts were completely dried; their total weight was reduced to 322 
grains, so that they had lost by drying 84*5 per cent. 
Grains. 
The electrical organs now weighed 22 
Head 25 
Thorax 93 
Abdomen 53 
Tail 36 
Liver (abounding in oil) 43 
Residue, consisting of other organs and extract of fluids, 
which exuded during the drying 50 
From the above loss of weight of the electrical organs in drying, they 
appear to consist of 7'28 matter not eva'porable at 212° Fahr. and of 92*72 
water, taking it for granted that the loss sustained is owing merely to the 
evaporation of the aqueous part. I lay stress on matter not evaporable, be- 
cause I believe that the solid contents of the moist organs are less, and that 
the water which they contain holds in solution various substances. 
This solution may be obtained by cutting the electrical organs into small 
pieces, and placing them in a funnel ; the fluid part slowly separates. What 
I have thus collected was slightly turbid, of a very light fawn colour, just 
perceptibly acrid ; it did not change the colour of turmeric or litmus paper ; 
a cloudiness was occasioned by dropping into it a solution of nitrate of silver, 
which was not completely re-dissolved by aqua ammonise ; it was copiously 
precipitated by acetate of lead, and a cloudiness was occasioned in it by nitrate 
