See PRIMOGENITURE, for the literal meaning of the term.

In Scripture it is also used often in a figurative sense for that which is first, most excellent, most distinguish-

Vol. VII. Part I. only by accident. A few species only swim up into the rivers to deposit their spawn; but by far the greatest number keep in the sea, and would soon expire in fresh water. There are about 400 species of fishes (according to Linnæus) of which we know something; but the unknown ones are supposed to be many more; and as they are thought to lie in great depths of the sea remote from land, it is probable that many species will remain for ever unknown.

For the subdivisions, characters, and natural history of this class of animals, see the articles ICHTHYOLOGY and ZOOLOGY.

Blowing of Fish, is a practice similar to that of blowing flesh, poultry, and pigs, and adopted for the same deceitful purposes. The method of blowing fish, especially cod and whitings, is by placing the end of a quill or tobacco-pipe at the vent, and pricking a hole with a pin under the fin which is next the gill; thereby making the fish appear to the eye large and full, which when dried will be flabby, and little else than skin and bones. But this imposition may be discovered by placing the finger and thumb on each side of the vent, and squeezing it hard; the wind may be perceived to go out, the skin will fall in, and the fish appear lank, and of little value.

Breeding of Fishes may be turned to great advantage; for, besides furnishing the table, obliging one's friends, and raising money, the land will be thereby greatly improved, so as to yield more this way than by any other employment whatever. See Fish-Pond, infra; and Breeding of Fish.

Castration of Fish, is a method first practised by Mr Tull, in order to prevent the excessive increase of fish in some of his ponds, where the numbers did not permit any of them to grow to an advantageous size. But he afterwards found, that the castrated fish grew much larger than their usual size, were more fat, and always in season. This operation may be performed both on male and female fish; and the most eligible time for it is when the ovaries of the female have their ova in them, and when the vessels of the male, analogous to these, have their seminal matter in them; because, at this time, these vessels are more easily distinguished from the ureters, which convey the urine from the kidneys into the bladder, and are situated near the seminal vessels on each side of the spine; which, without sufficient attention, may be mistaken for the ovaries, especially when these last are empty. The time least proper for this operation, is just after they have spawned, because the fish are then too weak and languid to bear, with success, so severe an operation; however, with skill and care, it may be performed almost at any time. When a fish is to be castrated, it must be held in a wet cloth, with its belly upwards; then with a sharp penknife, having its point bent backwards, the operator cuts through the integuments of the rim of the belly, taking care not to wound any of the intestines. As soon as a small aperture is made, he carefully inserts a hooked pen-knife, and with this dilates the aperture from between the two fore-fins almost to the anus. He then, with two small blunt silver-hooks, five or six inches long, and of this form P, by the help of an assistant, holds open the belly of the fish; and, with a spoon or spatula, removes carefully the intestines from one side. When these are removed, you see the ureter, a small vessel, nearly in the direction of the spine, and also the ovary, a larger vessel, lying before it, near the integuments of the belly. This last vessel is taken up with a hook of the same kind with those before mentioned, and, after detaching it from the side far enough for the purpose, divided transversely with a pair of sharp scissors, care being taken that the intestines are not wounded or injured. After one of the ovaries has been divided, the operator proceeds to divide the other in the same manner; and then the divided integuments of the belly are sewed with silk, the stitches being inserted at a small distance from one another. Mr Tull observes farther, that the spawning time is very various; that trouts are full about Christmas; perch in February; pikes in March, and carp and tench in May; and that allowance must be made for climate and situation, with regard to the spawning of fish. When the fish are castrated, they are put into the water where they are intended to continue; and they take their chance in common with other fish, as though they were not castrated. With tolerable care, few die of the operation. Phil Trans. vol. xlviii. Part 2. art. 106.

Although we could not properly avoid inserting the above detail, it is presumed that few will be pleased with the invention. The operation is peculiarly cruel, and the purpose of it only a detestable piece of Apician refinement.

Feeding of Fishes. When they are fed in large pools or ponds, either malt boiled, or fish grains, is the best food; thus carps may be raised and fed like capons, and tenches will feed as well. The care of feeding them is best committed to a gardener or the butler, who should be always at hand. When fed in a flew, any sort of grain boiled, especially peas, and malt coarsely ground, are proper food; also the grains after brewing, while fresh and sweet; but one bushel of malt not brewed, will go as far as two of grains.

Stealing of Fish, by persons armed and disguised, is felony without benefit of clergy by 9 Geo. I. cap. 22. See Black Act. And by 5 Geo. III. cap. 14, the penalty of transportation for seven years is inflicted on persons stealing or taking fish in any water, within a park, paddock, orchard, or yard; and on the receivers, aiders, and abettors; and a forfeiture of five pounds to the owner of the fishery is made payable by persons taking or destroying (or attempting so to do) any fish in any river or other water within any inclosed ground, being private property.

Preserving of Fish for Cabinets. Linnæus's method is, to expose them to the air; and when they acquire such a degree of putrefaction that the skin loses its cohesion to the body of the fish, it may be slid off almost like a glove; the two sides of this skin may then be dried upon paper like a plant, or one of the sides may be filled with plaster of Paris to give the subject a due plumpness.

A fish may be prepared, after it has acquired this degree of putrefaction, by making a longitudinal incision on the belly, and carefully dissecting the fleshy part from the skin, which are but slightly attached to it in consequence of the putrefaction. The skin is then to be filled with cotton and the antiseptic powder as directed for birds; and, lastly, to be sewed up where the incision was made. See Methods of Preserving Birds.

Gold-Fish. Sec Cyprinus.

Gilding on Fish. In the posthumous papers of Mr Hooke, a method is described of gilding live craw-fish, carps, &c. without injuring the fish. The cement for this purpose is prepared, by putting some burgundy-pitch into a new earthen pot, and warming the vessel till it receives so much of the pitch as will stick round it; then strewing some finely-powdered amber over the pitch when growing cold, adding a mixture of three pounds of linseed oil and one of oil of turpentine, covering the vessel, and boiling them for an hour over a gentle fire, and grinding the mixture, as it is wanted, with so much pumice-stone in fine powder as will reduce it to the consistence of paint. The fish being wiped dry, the mixture is spread upon it; and the gold-leaf being then laid on, and gently pressed down, the fish may be immediately put into water again, without any danger of the gold coming off, for the matter quickly grows firm in water.