( 209 ) 
The Gold-F ish from China. 
O U T of a great Number of thefe Fifties, which were variou fly coloured and 
variegated, I have chofen the four Subjects reprefented here of their natural 
Eignefs, tho’ there are fome larger, and others a good deal lefs. The largeft I have 
met with meafur’d eight Inches in Length, and near three Inches in Depth over the 
thickeft Part of its Body : This had no Fin on its Back. I have obferved many of 
the fmall ones alfo to be without Fins on their Back. 
Thefe Fifties are fhaped pretty much like the Carp, of which Genus I take them 
to be a Species : Their Noftrils rife out of their Heads like the Ends of little Pipes. 
All that 1 have feen had three Pair, or fix Fins, on their under Sides : On the upper 
Sides fome are without, and others have them in various Forms, as reprefented in 
thefe Figures : Some of them have Angle Tails, and others have them double, and 
joined together cn the upper Edge, as the third Figure from the Top (hews. The 
upper Figure is Blue on the Back, and Back-Fin ; the Refl of the Fifli is of a Gold- 
Colour : Thefe Colours break into each other on its Sides ; the Tail is dark Brown. 
The fecond Fifli is all over of a Gold-Colour, except a black Spot on the Head. 
The third Fifli hath its upper Side, double Tail, and lower Fins of a Gold-Colour ; 
the Belly of a Silver ; which two Colours mix eonfufedly on its Sides : It has fome 
black Spots on its Fins and Tail. The Lowermoft, or fourth Fifli, hath its upper Side 
Dufky, and its Under of a Silver-Colour, which foften into each other on its Sides ; 
its Fins and Tail are Dufky. 
His Grace the late Duke of Richmond had a large Chinefe earthen Veflel full of thefe Fifb, 
brought alive to England. I drew fome of them for his Grace, who permitted me to make 
Draughts for myfelf, with Leave to make them Publick. The fit ft Account of thefe Fifties 
being brought to England maybe feen in PetiveP s Works, publifted about Anno 1691. See 
his Catalogue, 186, Pifcis Chin. Cauda ar gen ted, Plate yS, Fig. 6 . and Catalogue 18 7, Pifcis 
Chin. Cauda awed , Plate 78, Fig. 7. They were not generally known in England till the Year 
1728, when a large Number of them were brought over in the Houghton Indiaman , Captain 
Philip V/orth , Commander, and prefented by him and Manning Lethieullier , Efq; 
to Sir Matthew Decker : Since which Time they have been propagated in Ponds by 
feveral curious Gentlemen, in the Neighbourhood of Eondon. They may be efteemed a Do- 
meftick Fifh ; they vary infinitely in their Colours and Marks, as do all Donieftick Animals ; 
they have been propagated and greatly increafed in the Ifland of St. Helena •, from whence 
they are now brought by all our India Ships that touch there. They keep them in fmall Ponds 
and Bafons in China , for the Amufement of the Ladies, and other curious Perfons. Thofe 
propagated with us are generally of a deader Colour than what are brought from China , or 
.St. Helena. In a few Years it is probable, we final! have them in our Rivers. The laft Au- 
thor that h:s mention’d this Fifh is Linneus. See his Fauna Suecica , publifted at Leyden , 
1746. See his Figure of it, Tab. 2. Fig. 331. which is like it, but feems fore-ftorten’d, which 
makes it appear thick and ftiort. He calls it Cyprinus Pinna Ani duplici , Cauda trifur c a, exoticus 
Pijcis aureus Chinevfmm . 
The 
