ELECTRICAL GYMNOTE. 
141 
distance asunder, without receiving a smart shock. 
I have often remarked, that when it is taken hold 
of with one hand, and the other hand is put into 
the water over its body, without touching it, the 
person received a smart shock ; and I have ob- 
served the same effect follow when a number 
joined hands, and the person at one extremity of 
the circle took hold of or touched the fish, and the 
person at the other extremity put his hand into 
the water over the body of the fish. The shock 
was communicated through the whole circle as 
smartly as if both the extreme persons had touched 
the fish. In this it seems to differ widely from the 
torpedo, or else we are much misinformed of the 
manner in which the benumbing effect of that fish 
is communicated. The shock which our Surinam 
fish gives, seems to be wholly electrical; and all the 
phaenomena, or properties of it, exactly resemble 
those of the electricity of our atmosphere when col- 
lected, as far as they are discoverable from the se- 
veral trials made on this fish. The stroke is com- 
municated by the same conductors, and intercepted 
by the interposition of the same original electrics, 
or electrics per se , as they are called. The keeper 
of these fish informed me that he caught them in 
Surinam river, a great way up, beyond where the 
salt water reaches ; and that they are a fresh water 
fish only. He says that they are eaten, and by 
some people esteemed a great delicacy. They live 
on fish, worms, or any animal food, if it is cut 
