. Animal studies. 300 ANIMAL STUDIES. gulps air until its capacious stomach is filled, and then floats belly upward on the surface. It is thus protected from other fishes, though easily taken by man. The torpe- do, electric eel, electric cat-fish, and star-gazer, surprise and stagger their captors by means of electric shocks. In the torpedo or electric ray (Fig. 171), found on the sandy shores of all warm seas, on either side of the head is a large honeycomb-like structure which yields a strong electric shock whenever the live fish is touched. This shock is felt severe- ly if the fish be stabb
. Animal studies. 300 ANIMAL STUDIES. gulps air until its capacious stomach is filled, and then floats belly upward on the surface. It is thus protected from other fishes, though easily taken by man. The torpe- do, electric eel, electric cat-fish, and star-gazer, surprise and stagger their captors by means of electric shocks. In the torpedo or electric ray (Fig. 171), found on the sandy shores of all warm seas, on either side of the head is a large honeycomb-like structure which yields a strong electric shock whenever the live fish is touched. This shock is felt severe- ly if the fish be stabbed with a knife or metallic spear. The electric eel of the rivers of Para- guay and southern Bra- zil is said to give severe shocks to herds of wild horses driven through the streams, and similar accounts are given of the electric cat-fish of the Kile. Among the insects, the possession of stings is not uncommon. The wasps and bees are fa- miliar examples of stinging insects, but many other kinds, less familiar, are similarly protected. All insects have their bodies covered with a coat of armor, composed of a horny substance called chitin. In some cases this chitin-. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Jordan, David Starr, 1851-1931; Kellogg, Vernon L. [from old catalog].
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjordanda, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1903
