FISHES. 401 
THE ELECTRICAL EEL. (Gymnotus electricus.) 
THIS very remarkable fish is about three feet in length, 
and twelve inches in circumference, in the thickest part of 
the body. The head is broad, flat, and large ; the mouth 
wide and destitute of teeth ; the rostrum obtuse and 
rounded ; the eyes are small and of a bluish colour ; the 
back is of a darkish brown, the sides grey, and the abdo- 
men of a dingy white. Across the body there are several 
annular divisions, or rather ridges of the skin, which give 
the fish the power of contracting or dilating itself at plea- 
sure. It is able to swim backwards as well as forwards. 
Mr. Bryant mentions an instance of the shock from one 
of these fish being felt through a considerable thickness of 
wood. One morning, while he was standing by, as a ser- 
vant was emptying a tub, in which an Electrical Eel was 
contained, he had lifted it entirely from the ground, and 
was pouring off the water to renew it, when he received a 
shock so violent as occasioned him to let the tub fall. 
Mr. B. then called another person to his assistance, and 
they lifted up the tub together, each laying hold only on 
the outside. When they were pouring off the remainder of 
