TORPEDO. 217 
as if meant to force an escape. Eesides these two 
shocks from the surface of the water, which may 
yet be considered as delivered in the air, he con- 
stantly gave at least two when wholly in the air, 
and as constantly one, and sometimes two, when 
wholly in the water. The shocks in water appeared, 
as far as sensation could decide, not to have near a 
fourth of the force of those which took place at the 
surface of the water, nor much more than a fourth 
of those entirely in the air. 
“ The torpedo was then put into a flat basket 
open at the top, but secured by a net with wide 
meshes, and in this confinement was let down into 
the water about a foot below the surface ; being 
there touched through the meshes, with only a 
single finger, on one of his electric organs, while 
the other hand was held at a distance in the water, 
he gave shocks that were distinctly felt in both 
hands.” 
A very singular fact respecting the electric power 
of this fish is mentioned by Spallanzani. He as- 
sures us that the young torpedo can not only exer- 
cise its electric faculty as soon as bom, but even 
while it is yet in the body of the parent. The 
Abbe dissected a torpedo in a pregnant state, which 
contained several roundish eggs of different sizes, 
and also two perfectly formed young ones, which, 
when tried in the usual manner, communicated a 
very sensible shock, and which was still more per- 
ceptible when the little animals were insulated bj 
being placed on a plate of glass. 
