A.D. 1791.—Shaw (George), English naturalist, who became a Fellow of the Royal Society during the year 1789, communicates to the latter body a paper on the Scolopendra electrica and Scolopendra subterranea (“Linn. Soc. Trans.” I. pp. 103–111). This was afterward translated into Italian and appeared in Vol. IX. p. 26, of Brugnatelli’s Annali di Chimica. Mr. James Wilson, F.R.S.E., in his “Encycl. Brit.” article on Myriapoda, alludes to the Scolopendra electrica as figured by Frisch and described by Geoffroy in his “Histoire des Insectes,” Vol. II. p. 676, n. 5. Shaw also treats of the Trichiurus Indicus, which Sir David Brewster believes to be the same as the trichiurus electricus, known to inhabit the Indian Seas and to have the power of giving electric shocks.

Five years before the above date (1786), the Phil. Trans. contained (p. 382) the description of the tetraodon electricus, which Lieutenant William Paterson discovered in the cavities of the coral rocks of one of the Canary Islands and which he found to possess the properties of other electrical fishes. (See Hutton’s abridgments, Vol. XVI. p. 134.)

References.—“Biographie Générale,” Vol. XLIII. p. 922; “Gentleman’s Magazine,” Vol. LXXXIII; Poggendorff, Vol. II. p. 918; “Cat. Royal Society Sc. Papers,” Vol. V. p. 674; Dr. Thomas Young, “Course of Lectures,” London, 1807, Vol. II. p. 436, for the Trichiurus Indicus....

Having thus far called attention to the most important varieties of the electrical fishes, notably at the articles Adanson (A.D. 1751), Bancroft (A.D. 1769), Walsh, also Hunter (A.D. 1773), the following original list of additional references will prove interesting:

Raia Torpedo.—Stephani Lorenzini, “Osservazioni ...” Firenze, 1678; R. A. F. de Réaumur, “Des Effets ...” Paris, 1714; Templeman, in “Nouvelliste,” 1759; Ingen-housz (Phil. Trans., 1775); Cavendish (Phil. Trans., 1776, Vol. LXI. p. 584, Vol. LXVI. p. 196, also Hutton’s abridgments, Vol. II. p. 485; Vol. XIII. p. 223; Vol. XIV. p. 23); F. Soave (“Scelta di Opuscoli,” Vol. XV), Milano, 1776; J. A. Garn, “De Torpedine ...” Witteb., 1778; R. M. de Termeyer (Raccolta Ferr. di Op. Sc. ... Vol. VIII), Venice, 1781; L. Spallanzani (“Goth. Mag.,” V. i. 41; “Opusc. Scelti,” VI. 73), Milano, 1783; Girardi and Walter (“Mem. Soc. Ital.,” III. 553), Verona, 1786; W. Bryant (“Tr. Amer. Phil. Soc.,” II. 166, O. S.), Philad., 1786; J. W. Linck, “De Raja Torpedine,” Lips., 1788; Vassalli-Eandi (Journal de Physique, Vol. XLIX. p. 69); Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (“Annal. du Mus.,” An. XI. Vol. I., No. 5, and Phil. Mag., Vol. XV. p. 126), 1803; J. F. M. Olfers, “Die Gattung Torpedo ...” Berlin, 1831; Linari-Santi in “Bibl. Univ.,” Ser. II., Geneva, 1837–1838, and in “Bibl. Ital.,” Vol. XCII. p. 258, Milan, 1839; C. Matteucci, “Recherches ...” Genève, 1837 (“Royal Soc. Catalogue of Sc. Papers,” Vol. IV. pp. 285–293); also Delle Chiaje, “On the Organs ...” and P. Savi, “Etudes ...” Paris, 1844; G. Pianciani (“Mem. Soc. Ital.,” XXII. 7); F. Zantedeschi (“Bull. Acad. Brux.,” VIII. 1841); A. Fusinieri (“Ann. del Reg. Lomb.-Veneto,” VIII. 239), Padova, 1838; A. F. J. C. Mayer, “Spicilegium ...” Bonnæ, 1843; L. Calamai, “Osservazioni ...” 1845; C. Robin, “Recherches ...” Paris, 1847; Krünitz, “Abhandl.,” XVII; Nicholson’s Journal, Vol. I. p. 355; Rozier, IV. p. 205; “Acad. Brux.,” 111; “Phil. Hist. and Mem. of the Roy. Acad. of Sc. Paris,” 1742, Vol. V. pp. 58–73; John Ewing, at A.D. 1795; Dr. Godef. Will. Schilling (in original Latin, also the French translation), “Biblioth. Britannique,” Vol. XL. pp. 263–272; Dr. Jan Ingen-housz in Phil. Tr. Vol. LXV. p. 1; Vol. LXVIII. pp. 1022, 1027; Vol. LXIX. pp. 537, 661; also Hutton’s abridgments, Vol. XIII. p. 575; Vol. XIV. pp. 462, 463, 589, 598; “Journal des Sçavans,” Vol. LXXVIII. for January-April, 1726, p. 58; “The System of Natural History, written by M. De Buffon,” Edinburgh, 1800, Vol. II. pp. 24–25.

M. R. A. F. De Réaumur, mentioned above, has communicated the results of his investigations relative to the torpedo in “Mém. de Paris” for 1714, following it up more particularly with another article in the issue for year 1723 on magnetization, which is also alluded to in “Journal des Sçavans,” Vol. LXXXII. for 1727, p. 4.

Silurus Electricus.—Ranzi, on the discovery of the discharge of this animal; P. Forskal “Beobachtungen ...” 1775; F. Pacini, “Sopra l’ Organo ...” Bologna, 1846; Abd-Allatif, Relation de l’Egypte, p. 167, quoted at p. 250; Note XI. vol. i. of Libri’s “Hist. des Mathém.”; C. Maspero, “The Dawn of Civilization,” New York, 1894, p. 36, wherein it is said that the silurus was the nârû of the ancient Egyptians, as described by Isidore Geoffroy de St. Hilaire in his “Histoire Naturelle des Poissons du Nil.”

Gymnotus Electricus.—T. Richer, “Observations ...” Paris, 1679 (“Hist. et Mém. de l’Acad. Roy. des Sciences,” Vols. I. p. 116; VII. i. pt. 2, p. 92); “Edinburgh Review,” Vol. XVI. pp. 249–250; John Ewing at A.D. 1795; P. Sue, aîné “Histoire du Galvanisme,” Paris, An. X, 1802, Vol. II. pp. 94–97; A. Van Berkel, “Reise nach Rio ...” Memming, 1789, for the observations made in 1680–1689; J. B. Duhamel (“Hist. Acad. Sc.,” 168); J. N. Allamand, “On the Surinam Eel ... by S’Gravesande,” Haarlem, 1757; Gronov-Gronovius (“Acta Helvetica ...” IV. 26, Basle, 1760; Phil. Trans., Vol. LXV. part i. p. 94, 102, and part ii. p. 395); P. V. Musschenbroek (“Hist. et Méms. de l’Acad. des Sc.,” 1760); G. W. Schilling, “Diatribe de Morbo ...” 1770, treating of the torpedo as well as of the magnetism of the Gymnotus (which latter was observed by him in 1764, and is alluded to besides by Jan Ingen-housz in his “Nouv. Exper.,” Paris, 1785); “Mem. of Berlin Acad. of Sc.,” Bonnefoy, “De l’app. de l’élect ...” 1782–1783, p. 48; Ferdinando Elice, “Saggio sull’ Elettricità,” p. 26; H. Williamson, Alexander Garden and John Hunter in the Phil. Trans. for 1775, p. 94, 102, 105, 395, and in Hutton’s abridgments, Vol. XIII. pp. 597–600; R. M. de Termeyer (“Opus. Scelti,” IV. 324, for 1781); H. C. Flagg (“Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc.,” O. S., Vol. II. p. 170); Samuel Fahlberg, “Beskrifning ofver elektriska alen Gymnotus electricus,” Stockholm, 1801; (See Fahlberg at A.D. 1769, and in “Vet Acad. Nyr. Handl.”; Gilbert, Annalen, XIV. p. 416); Humboldt, “Observations ... anguille elect ...” Paris, 1806; “Versuche ... elec. fische,” Jena, 1806; also in the Annales de Chimie et de Physique, Vol. XI for 1819, and at p. 256 of the “Harmonies of Nature,” by Dr. G. Hartwig, London, 1866, will be found a picture showing mode of capture of the Electric Eel; F. S. Guisan, “De Gymnoto ...” Tübingen, 1819, Carl Palmstedt (“Skand. Naturf. motets Forhand,” 1842); H. Letheby (“Proceedings London El. Soc.,” Aug. 16, 1842, and June 17, 1843); M. Vanderlot’s work, alluded to by Humboldt at p. 88 of his “Voyage ...”; F. Steindachner, “Die Gymnotidie ...” Wien, 1868.

Consult likewise, for reputed magnetic powers of the echeneis, or sucking-fish, Gaudentius Merula, “Memorabilium,” 1556, p. 209; Fracastorio, “De Sympathia,” lib. 1, cap. 8; W. Charleton, “Physiologia,” 1654, p. 375; Cornelius Gemma, “De Naturæ Divinis,” 1575, lib. 1, cap. 7, p. 123; and, for electrical fishes generally, Rozier, Intr., II. p. 432; Bloch, “Naturgeschichte ...” Berlin, 1786; A. De la Rive, “Traité de l’électricité,” Paris, 1858, Vol. III. pp. 61–82; Rozier, Vol. XXVII. pp. 139–143; “Works of Michael de Montaigne,” by W. Hazlitt, New York, 1872, Vol. II. pp. 158–159; R. J. Haüy, “Traité de Physique,” p. 41; Geoffroy Saint-Hilare (Journal de Physique, LVI. 242; Phil. Mag. XV. 126–136, 261; “B. Soc. Phil.” N. 70; Gilbert, Annalen, XIV. 397; “Ann. du Mus.” for 1803); M. Schultze, “Zur Kentniss ... elect ... fische,” Halle, 1858 and 1859; Jobert (de Lamballe) “Des Appareils ...” Paris, 1858; W. Keferstein and D. Kupffer (Henle u. Pfeuffer’s “Zeitschr. f. rat. Med. Newe Folgc,” III. 1858) and Keferstein’s “Beitrag ... elekt. fische,” Göttingen, 1859; “Annual of Sc. Discovery” for 1863, giving, at pp. 115–116, the views of Sir John Herschel, of Charles Robin and of M. Moreau on the electrical organs of fishes.

A.D. 1792.—Berlinghieri (Francesco Vacca, and not Vacca Leopold nor Andrea Vacca), Italian surgeon and anatomical writer, communicates to M. De La Méthérie the result of the extensive experiments made by him in concert with M. Pignotti and his brother. After describing his investigations with frogs, he remarks that the same movements and contractions can be produced on animals with hot blood, but that the latter require a peculiar process. He says that after having dissected the crural or any other considerable nerve, and cut it at a certain height to separate it from its superior part, it should have a piece of tinfoil wrapped around its summit, and the communication should be made in the usual way by touching the coating with one of the extremities of the exciting arc and the muscles in which the nerve is distributed with the other extremity.