IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PARALYSING, CAPTURING, OR KILLING FISH, BIRDS, AND OTHER ANIMALS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isham Baggs, of Cambridge Terrace, Islington,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PARALYSING, CAPTURING, OR KILLING FISH,
BIRDS, AND OTHER ANIMALS."
Sealed the 22nd April 1864, and dated the 26th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isham Baggs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th October 1863.
1, ISHAM BAGGS, of Cambridge Terrace, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PARALYSING, CAPTURING, OR KILLING
FISH, BIRDS, AND OTHER ANIMALS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in paralysing, capturing, or killing fish by
means of electricity applied to metallic apparatus.
I prefer to use electricity obtained from a galvanic battery, either alone, or
I immerse or
in combination or conjunction with a powerful induction coil.
bring into action in the sea, or a river, or other water, the two poles of a
battery or coil connected to two plates of copper or other metal, in such
positions as to include the fish in the circuit, and by the force of the shocks
either paralyse them and render them incapable of voluntary muscular effort
or kill them, thus rendering their capture an easy matter.
The circuit may be formed by the medium of a hook and metallic line, or
even without a hook, whereby the fish in seizing the bait fixed thereon or
attached thereto either receives an immediate shock, or by the pull in gorging
such bait causes battery contact to ensue, or surfaces of metal electrified to
approach within striking distance, whereby a shock or succession of shocks

page_text: will take place, and the fish will either be paralysed or killed, and thus easily
captured.
The circuit is of course completed by the water which is good conductor.
A landing net of woven wire may be employed to land a fish partly paralysed,
the battery poles being brought into connection or circuit with such net.
The electric light may be employed at night time to allure the fish to the
desired situation where the apparatus is placed, and I prefer for this purpose
to use Geisler's tubes.
I also employ analysing plates such as tourmaline, to shut out the
reflected rays of the sun, and observe the position of the fish in the
water..
Birds may be captured as well as other animals by traps of wire or metal
plates connected to the poles of a battery or coil. As one example of such
apparatus I propose to fix a series of parallel wires in a wooden frame in
pairs about a quarter of an inch apart, one of each wires or pairs of wires
being in connection with the positive pole, and the other series being similarly
connected with the negative pole,' this frame should then be laid on the ground
or on the top of a house or other desired situation, and a bait being applied
underneath the frame and wires it will follow that birds or other animals
(according to the situation of the trap) will perch or walk upon the wires
and their feet will establish the circuit between one or more pairs of wires,
whereby the claws of birds will be paralysed and clasped around such
wires, or the feet of animals will be paralysed and held down, whereby they
may be easily captured.
As a humane agency for slaughtering animals, I propose to place the con-
ductors in the ears, or pass the shocks through the brain, or other vital part to
minimise suffering or to cause death.
By this Invention insects may be destroyed while infesting trees and plants,
a mere modification in form of apparatus being necessary, indeed the construc-
tion of apparatus for all the above purposes may be varied to a great extent,
the principle of the Invention being undisturbed.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Isham Baggs, Her special licence that I, the said
Isham Baggs, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Isham Baggs, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PARALYSING, CAPTURING, OR KILLING
FISH, BIRDS, AND OTHER ANIMALS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Isham Baggs, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Isham Baggs, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in catching fish by paralysing or convulsing
them by means of electricity however obtained and employed, and for this purpose
I prefer the use of the galvanic battery either alone or in conjunction with a coil.
I immerse or bring into action in the sea, or in a river, or any other body of
water, the two poles of a battery or coil however disposed, and in such position
as to include more or less the fish in the circuit, and by the force of the current
or shocks either kill them, or by paralysing them and rendering them incapable
of voluntary muscular effort enable their capture or destruction to become
more easy, rapid, and convenient.
In angling or fishing with a hook and line, or even without a hook, the fish
in grasping the bait either receives the shock direct, or by the tug he makes at
the line, causes battery contact to be made, or electrified surfaces to approach
within striking distance, when the fish either receives a shock or a succession of
shocks, and is either killed or paralysed and easily lifted out of the water
or otherwise disposed of. In this case one end of the wire or pole or broken
extremity of the conducting circle is to be electrically attached to the hook or

page_text: bait, the other end or pole is to be attached to a conductor immersed in the
water or communicating with the earth, and the circuit is by this means
completed through the fish whereby becomes paralysed or killed, and is easily
captured by a landing net or gaff.
In the case of applying the Invention to any very large fish, such as a whale
or shark, &c., the first named wire is to be attached to the harpoon or other
implement employed in their destruction and capture, and the last by any con-
venient means to a submerged conductor, thus completing the circuit through
the fish and the sea.
In landing fish not thoroughly paralysed or rendered incapable of resistance,
I prefer not to liberate them from the electric influence till safely landed; and
I sometimes use for this purpose a landing net or gaff wherein a wire chain or
other conductor is interwoven, included, or fixed so as to maintain the con-
tinuity of the electric current after the removal of the fish from the influence
of the circuit established by the water. To allure the fish I sometimes employ
the electric light, either floating or submerged; any form of the light may be
used, but Geisler's exhausted or vacuum tubes are preferable.
I also use analysing plates properly mounted, such a tourmaline, to shut out
the reflected rays of the sun and observe the position of the fish in the
water.
In capturing birds, as well as other animals, I employ a bait, and so dispose the
conductors that the discharge shall pass more or less through the body of the bird
or animal. Birds are thus made to perch upon the terminal wires of a battery or
coil, and animals are caused to tread upon them or upon conductors attached to
them. In the case of animals also one of the terminal wires may be connected
with the earth and the other connected with an arrow or other projectile capable of
entering or puncturing the flesh or otherwise making the necessary contact to
ensure discharge. By these means birds and animals may readily be captured
alive. The traps may consist of wire or metal strips or plates connected to the
poles of the battery or coil. As one example of such apparatus I propose to fix a
series of parallel wires in a wooden frame about a quarter of an inch apart from
small birds, but at varying distances according to the size of birds desired to be
taken, such wires or wires to vary in dimensions and positions either to serve as
perches for the feet of birds or as bearing surfaces for the feet of animals, for
which latter flat metal bars would be preferable, these wires, rods, or bars may be
alternately in connection with the positive and negative poles of the battery or
powerful induction coil, or not necessarily in an alternate series or connection,
for they may be two and two alternately connected, or indeed in any series which
shall present to the claws of birds or the feet of animals two or more convenient.

page_text: surfaces or points of contact in order that the feet of the bird or animal may
thereby establish (at the instant of contact) the electric circuit, and con-
sequently cause paralysis by the shock of the electricity passing through the
body and limbs of the animal. This system of paralysing animals and
rendering them as it were firmly held as in a trap, or in the event of birds
perching on the apparatus causing their feet and claws to become clasped
around the wires or bars may be obviously adapted to many modifications
of trap or mere form of apparatus besides the one I have here described
although the principle would be the same.
As a humane agency for slaughtering animals, I place the conductors in the
ears, or pass the shock or shocks through the brain or other vital part to
minimise suffering or to cause death. By preference, as being truly instanta-
nious and effective, I attach the conductors to the nape of the neck and pass
the discharge through the medulla oblongata. Immediately after prostration,
and while in a state of unconsciousness, the animals are bled to death.
For destroying slugs, insects, and the small parasitical forms of animal
life with which vegetation is infested, I proceed by way of the following
plans:-
1st. By the abundant production of ozone in the neighbourhood of trees,
shrubs, and plants without injury to vegetable life. This may be effected
by a continuous or intermittent repetition of discharges from the electric coil
in the intmediate vicinity of the branches and leaves of the tree, shrub, plant,
&c. For this purpose the addition of a Leyden jar or coated surface to the coil
is very advantageous, and the apparatus employed for the purpose should be
portable.
2ndly, by throwing off electricity in the neighbourhood of vegetation,
by brush, glow, &c., this may be effected by the coil also as is well under-
stood. In this case also the apparatus should be portable. The objects may
also be effected by insulated lightning conductors, that is to say, by conductors
so supported as to have their lower points or ends above the tree, plant, or
other object of vegetation to be acted upon. By these means the electricity is
drawn from the upper regions of the atmosphere and thrown down upon the
tree, plant, &c., to be acted upon.
3rdly, by subjecting various objects of vegetation to the effects of electricity
transmitted through the soil. This may be effected by plates or other con-
ductors buried in or communicating with the ground, through which galvanic
or high tension electricity may be passed either continuously or at intervals.
Newts, tadpoles, lizards, and other vermin may be destroyed in the same manner
as are ordinary fish, and others may be killed or captured, as are whales, sharks,.

page_text: &c., by the processes already herein described. I annex a Sheet of Drawings to
assist the explanation of my Invention.
Figure 1 represents at a, a, two metallic plates inserted opposite each other
in water; b, b, represent fish passing between the plates which are in con-
nection with the poles of a battery, one of the poles or plates may be made to
communicate with the ground.
Figure 2 represents a fish hook in connection with a gilt or silvered line of
gut or gimp, or of very fine copper or silver wire, so as to effect a conducting
communication with the end or butt held in the hand and thence to the ground
or the water direct to close the circuit.
Figure 3 shews a harpoon a and a boat 6 with a conducting plate attached
as a sheathing c thereto, to form the circuit through the line, harpoon, fish, sea
water, plate and battery in the boat.
Figure 4 shews two metallic sheathed boats floating in water, with a floating
conducting wire between them, one of these boats is to contain the battery
and coil, and thus the same effect would be produced as by the plates,
Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents a wooden frame a holding wires or metal strips b, b, c, c
the wires are in connection with one pole of the battery or coil, and
those c, c, with the other pole. By this or similar arrangement the
claws of birds or feet of animals perching or treading on the strips or
wires are paralysed, as well as their limbs, through which the circuit is
established.
Figure 6 represents an arrow surrounded by an insulated coil of wire in
connection with a battery or coil so that during the flight of such arrow the
wire may uncoil itself, in a similar manner to that proposed for missiles fired
from Captain Manby's gun. The arrow entering the body of an animal
not only wounds but paralysis it by the completion of the electric circuit.
Figure 7 represents an insulating collar, strap, or belt for fitting on to the
neck of a bullock or other animal to be killed, it has two spring conductors a, a,
towards the top for pressing upon the nape of the neck, and sending the
discharge through the medulla oblongata.
Figure 8 represents insulated lightuing conductors c, c, supported by a
wooden upright and cross bar a; b, b, represent small fruit trees to be pro-
tected by the discharges or the production of ozone.
For the protecting of plants or vegetables the size of apparatus would
be suited accordingly.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion that I do

page_text: not limit myself to the precise details in configuration of parts I have expressed
and shewn, as the same may obviously be varied in an innumerable number
of methods or appliances without at all departing from the general
principles and objects on which the Invention is founded, but what I claim as
my Invention and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited
Letters Patent, are, the methods herein described of paralysing, capturing, and
killing fish of every kind; also those for paralysing, capturing, or killing birds
and animals of every kind; and, lastly, the method of destroying insects or
vermin infesting trees or vegetation.
I claim not only the methods I have described, because I have thought it
only necessary to give a few examples in order to illustrate the philosophy of
the Invention, but I claim the use of any other forms of apparatus substan-
tially the same thereto to all intents and purposes and which it would be most
easy for any one to construct from the knowledge of this document, wherein
electricity however produced is made the medium or prime cause of accom-
plishing the objects and results expressed in the title of this Specification and
in the details herein given in accordance therewith.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isham Baggs, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
ALEX³. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
ISHAM BAGGS. (L.S.)