The Description of a Fish, Shewed to the Royal Society by Mr. Ralph Bigland, on March 22, 1749-50: Drawn up by C. Mortimer, M. D. Secret. R. S.

The Opah or King Fish. A Scale of Inches. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 J. Mynde sc. XX. The Description of a Fish, showed to the Royal Society by Mr. Ralph Bigland, on March 22, 1749-50: Drawn up by C. Mortimer, M.D. Secret. R.S. Read July 5, 1750. This Fish is smooth-skinn'd, has no Scales, nor Teeth. It has one erect Fin on its Back, which arises below its Neck, and runs within a little of its Tail. On each Side about the Middle, between its Back and Belly, behind the Gills is a Fin: From the Bottom and Middle of its Belly, a little forward of the Vent, arise a Pair of Fins: From behind the Vent runs one Fin, within a little of the Tail: The Tail-Fin is large and forked. Its Eyes are large; the Irides are scarlet, encompassed with a Circle of a gold Colour verged with scarlet. Its Nostrils are placed above its Eyes. The Back, and upper Part of the Body quite to the Tail, was of a dark blue, or violet Colour; these, and the Sides of the Body, which were of a bright green, were all speckled with oblong white Spots; the Chaps were of a pale red; the Nose, Gills, and Belly, were of a silver Colour; and all the Fins of a bright scarlet. It was 3 Feet 7 Inches long, and 3 Feet 10 Inches round in the thickest Part. It weighed 82 Pounds. Its Mouth is small; its Tongue was thick, almost like a human Tongue in Shape, but rough, and thick-set with Beards or Prickles, which pointed backwards; so that any thing might easily pass down, but could not easily slip back again; therefore these might serve instead of Teeth for retaining its Prey or Food. Its Gills resemble those of a Salmon. Its Body grows very very taper towards the Tail; and, from being compressed to 10 Inches Thickness, becomes near the Tail almost round, and about 3 Inches thick. The whole Shape of this Fish much resembles the Sea-bream; but it differs in Size, being much larger, and in not having Teeth nor Scales. The Fin standing erect on the Back, has some Aculei next the Neck, and rise up 8 Inches; but in the Middle diminishes to 1 Inch; and near the Tail rises again to about 3 Inches. The Belly-Fin opposite to this spreads 3 Inches near the Tail, and diminishes towards the Vent. The Tail-Fin is forked, and spreads 12 Inches. The Gill-Fins are 9 Inches long, and 3 wide at their Basis. The 2 Belly-Fins were 11 Inches long, and 3 wide at their Basis. It seems to me to be a new Species of Fish, not yet described by any Author. The black Prince, and his Cousin, from Anamaboe on the Coast of Guinea, and Mr. Creighton, formerly Governor of Capo Corso Castle, upon seeing this Fish immediately knew it, and said it was common on that Coast, and is very good to eat. The Natives call it Opah, and the English there call it the King fish. I shall therefore retain the Guinea Name, with these Characteristics; OPAH Guiniensium est piscis osseus, non squamosus, edentulus; habens unicam in dorso pinnam anteriùs aculeatam, pone branchias par pinnarum, in medio ventre par pinnarum, ad posticam ventris partem unicam pinnam, caudam forcipatam. Mr. Bigland says, that, upon opening of it, all its Bowels would have gone into a Quart-Mug; that the Flesh of the fore Part was firm, and look'd like Beef, and the hinder Part like fine Veal; that the Bones were like those of Quadrupeds; particularly the the Shoulder-blades, which resembled those of Sheep. [See an Article in the Scots Magazine for October 1748. printed at Edinburgh in 8vo.] In a Letter to me, he adds, that probably this was a [Pelagian or] Ocean Fish, wandring by chance into the Frith of Forth; and, by the Tide ebbing, being left upon a considerable Shoal, or flat Sand, near Leith, was discover'd from Land in a State of Distress; whereupon some Fishermen plunged into the Sea, and with a Net surrounded it, and brought it to Shore. XXI. A Letter from John Burton M. D. to C. Mortimer M.D. & Secr. R. S. concerning the Extirpation of an Excrecence from the Womb. SIR, Read July 5. I HAVE at last got a Drawing of an Excrecence * growing from the Inside of the Os Tinea on the right Side; which I herewith send you, (see TAB. I. Fig. 6.) along with as full and perfect an Account of the Case as I can. The Wife of one Chapman, a Whitesmith, at Selby, ten Miles off, upwards of seven Years ago lay in of her last Child, and had a tolerable easy Labour: Soon after which, she had what she called the Fluor albus, that continued ever since, and increased upon her; insomuch that she says, she has sometimes * It is exactly the Dimensions of the Original, which weighed 5 Ounces and a half. That Part below the pricked Line appeared out of the Vagina; that above reach'd from the Labia to the Os Uteri.