SXPEltlMEITTS ON THE TOEPEDO. 
125 
gymnoti, of unequal strength, in such a manner as to receive 
the shocks of the most vigorous fish by contact, that is to 
«ay, by touching only one of the other fishes, I did not 
observe that these last were agitated at the moment when 
the current passed their bodies. Perhaps the current 
did not penetrate below the humid surface of the skin. 
^Ve will not, however, conclude from this, that the gymnoti 
are insensible to electricity ; and that they cannot fight with 
each other at the bottom of the pool's. Their nervous 
s ystem must be subject to the same agents as the nerves of 
other animals. I have indeed seen, that, on laying open 
their nerves, they undergo muscular contractions at the 
aiere contact of two opposite metals ; and M. Eahlberg, of 
Stockholm, found that his gymnotus was convulsively agi- 
tated when placed in a copper vessel, and feeble discharges 
from a Leyden jar passed through its skin. 
After the experiments I had made on gymnoti, it became 
highly interesting to me, on my return to Europe, to ascer- 
tain with precision the various circumstances in which 
another electric fish, the torpedo of our seas, gives or does 
not give shocks. Though this fish had been examined by 
numerous men of science, I found all that had been pub- 
ushed on its electrical effects extremely vague. It has been 
) e ry arbitrarily supposed, that this fish acts like a Leyden 
which may be discharged at will, by touching it with 
both hands; and this supposition appears to have led into 
e rror observers who have devoted themselves to researches 
Jy this kind. M. Gfay-Lussac and myself, during our journey 
fr Italy, made a great number of experiments on torpedos 
taken in the gulf of Naples. These experiments furnish 
jUany results somewhat different from those I collected on 
t. h e gymnoti. It is probable that the cause of these anoma- 
frs is owing rather to the inequality of electric power in 
he two fishes, than to the different disposition of their 
Q ’'gaiis. 
Though the power of the torpedo cannot he compared 
.n that of the gymnotus, it is sufficient to cause very 
painful sensations. A person accustomed to electric shocks 
j. aa with difficulty hold in his hands a torpedo of twelve or 
eurteen inches, and iu possession of all its vigour. "When 
he torpedo gives only very feeble strokes under water, 
