by means of whi h it is fecundated. The wane 
of the organs of cfoeration in Fifhes gives an ap- 
parent probabilit to this: but LinnEus vehe- 
mently oppofes it ; aMlrming that there can be no 
pofTibility o!^the impregnation of the eggs of any 
animal out of it's own body. 
For a confirmation of this, the general courfe of 
nature, not only in birds, quadrupeds, and infefts, 
but even in the vegetable world, has been called in 
to his afTiftance, as proving that all im.pregnation 
is performed while the ova are in the body of the 
parent; and this great naturalift fupplies the want 
of the organs of generation by a very ftrange pro- 
cefs, affirming that the males eje6l their femen al- 
ways fome days before the females depofit their ova 
or fpawn; and that the females fwallowing this, it 
lerves to impregnate their eggs. About the fpawn- 
ing feafon, he tells us, that he has often ieen three 
or four females gathered about the male, and gree- 
dily fnatching up into their mouths the femen he 
ejefts : he particularly mentions fome of the efoces, 
fome peach, and fome of the cyprini, in which he 
had obferved that procefs. But Mr. Tuil afferts, 
that he has frequently feen Fifii in a£lual copula- 
tion; and that this is generally performed before 
the ova arrive at maturity. 
All Fiflies, except thofe of the whale kind, are 
deititute of thofe parental folicitudes which fo 
{Irongly mark the manners of the greateft part of 
terreftrial animals. When they have dcpofited 
their burdens, they leave their nafcent progeny to 
provide for themfelves. Fifhes have diiTerent fea- 
\ons for depofiting their fpawn ; and this continues 
in it's egg Fcate in proportion to the fize of the ani- 
mal. The young of the falmon, for inftance, con- 
tinues in the egg from the beginning of Decem- 
ber till the beginning of April; the carp conri- 
nuvs in the egg only about three weeks; and the 
little Goid-Fifh of China is ftill more expeditioufly 
produced. All thefe, v/hen excluded, at firft efcape 
by their minutenefs and agility. They rif^^, fink, 
and turn, much readier than grown fiflies ; and, 
when purfued, they f]y for refuge to fhallow wa- 
ter. But, with all thefe advantages, fcarcely one 
in a thoufand furvives the numerous perils of it's 
youth. The very male and feimale which pro- 
duced them, forgetting all relationfhip at their de- 
parture, are equally dangerous and formidable 
with the refi:. 
Such is the general picture of thefe voracious 
and infenfible creatures. But there are fome Fiflies, 
indeed, which pofTefs finer organs, and higher fen- 
fations; that nurfe their young with care and ten- 
dernefs, and protect them from all injuries; of 
which kind are the cetaceous tribe. The cartila- 
ginous kinds, or thofe which have griftles inflead 
of bones, bring their young alive into the world; 
and, though incapable of nurfing them, they defend 
them with aftivity and courage : but the fpinous or 
bony kinds leave their fpawn without any protec- 
tion, being fatisfied v/ith their mere production. 
Many volumes have been written on the fubjeft 
of catching Fifhes, and of rendering them fubfer- 
vient to the ends of luxury; but fuch fubjefts do 
not properly fall under the naturalifl's illuftration. 
Apicius is famous for having taught mankind to 
fuffocate Fifhes in Carthaginian pickle ; and Quin, 
the comedian, for inventing a fauce for the doree : 
Mrs. Glaffe is famous for her eel-pye; and Mr. 
Tull for his invention of fplaying carp, to give it a 
finer flavour. In this manner, our cooks handle 
thefubjed; while phyficians afTure us, that Fifhes 
FLA 
afford very little nourifhment as food, and thiit they^ 
fbon corrupt; that they are naturally cold and 
moifl, and confequently produce juices of the 
fame kind, which are inefScacious in ftrengthcning 
I the body; that they abound in a grofs kind of oii 
and water; that they have few volatile particles, 
and are therefore lefs fit to be converted into the 
fubflance of our bodies. In this diverfity of opi- 
j nions, it is the mofl rational v/ay for every perfbn.to 
follow nature; to eat what experience proves to be 
agreeable to his conflitution; and to leave it to 
do6tors and cooks to difpute about the effential 
qualities of food, the means of promoting luxury, 
or repelling difeafe. 
FITCHET. A name fometimes ufed to ex- 
prefs the pole-cat, an animal of the weafel kind. 
FIVE-FINGERED FISH. This fpecics of 
fifn, v.'hich is very comrnon in the Eaft Indian 
feas, receives it's name from five black fpcts on 
each fide, refembling the prints of the fingers. It 
is about a foot and a half long ; it's head is fmall ; 
it's mouth is large; and it's colour is a fhining blue 
mixed with purple. There are no fcales on the 
body. 
FLAIRS. An appellation given by fome to 
the frzate, a fpecles of ray. 
FLAMEO. A name given by fome to a long 
anguillifonri fifli, a fpecies of the taenia, called alio 
cavag-iro. 
FLAMETTE. An appellation given by the 
French writers to a fpecies of chamas, a Hiell-fifh 
of the bivalve kind, v/hofe fliells are always in part 
open. This fpecies is as hot to the palate as pep- 
per. 
FLAMINGO. Avery beautiful and fingular 
bird, Vv'hofe general conformation and appetites re- 
fer it to the crane kind, though it is web-footed 
like the genus of anferes. Funiiflied with a longer 
neck and legs than any other of the crane kind, 
it leeks it's food by wading among waters; and 
only differs from them in the manner of feizing it's 
prey : for as the heron makes ufe of it's claY^^s, the 
Flamingo only employs it's bill, which is ftrong, 
and well adapted for thispurpofe; v/hile the claws 
are feeble and ufelefs. 
The Flamingo is a tall, bulky, and mofl beau- 
tiful bird. The body, which is of a vivid fcarlet, 
is about the fize of a fwan; but the legs and neck 
are of fuch extraordinary dimenfions, that when it 
fiands ereft, it is upwards of fix feet high. The 
expanfion of it's v/mgs is five feet fix inches, and 
it's length four feet eight inches. The head is 
round and fmall; the bill is about feven inches 
long, partly of a red colour, partly black, and 
crooked like a how. The legs and thighs, which 
are not much thicker than a man's finger, are about 
two feet eight inches long; and the neck ineafures 
nearly three feet. The feet are weak; and the 
toes are united by membranes; but of what ufe 
thefe appendages are, does not appear, as the bird 
is never feen fwimming, it's legs and thighs being 
fufiicient to carry it into thofe depths where it's 
prey is to be found. 
This extraordinary bird was once known on all 
the coafts of Europe; but is now chiefly found in 
America. It's magnitude, it's beauty, and the 
peculiar delicacy of it's flefli, when young, have 
afforded fuch incitements for it's deftru6tion, that 
it has long fince deferted the fhores frequented by 
man, and taken refuge in countries where the 
want of population allows it to range in fecurity. 
In thofe delart regions, the Flamingos live in a 
ftate 
