Chap. XII.] FISHES. 19 



both would have an equal influence on the colors of their 

 offspring or the race. 



Certain fishes, belonging to several families, make 

 nests ; and some of these fishes take care of their young 

 when hatched. Both sexes of the brightly-colored Creni- 

 labrus massa and melops work together in building their 

 nests with sea-weed, shells, etc. 31 But the males of cer- 

 tain fishes do all the work, and afterward take exclusive 

 charge of the young. This is the case with the dull-col- 

 ored gobies, 32 in which the sexes are not known to differ 

 m color, and likewise with the sticklebacks (Gasterosteus), 

 in which the males become brilliantly colored during the 

 spawning-season. The male of the smooth-tailecl stickle- 

 back ( G. leiurus) performs during a long time the duties 

 of a nurse with exemplary care and vigilance, and is con- 

 tinually employed in gently leading back the young to 

 the nest when they stray too far. He courageously drives 

 away all enemies, including the females of his own spe- 

 cies. It would indeed be no small relief to the male if 

 the female, after depositing her eggs, were immediately 

 devoured by some enemy, for he is forced incessantly to 

 drive her from the nest. 33 



The males of certain other fishes inhabiting South 

 America and Ceylon, and belonging to two distinct or- 

 ders, have the extraordinary habit of hatching the eggs 

 laid by the females within their mouths or branchial cavi- 

 ties: 34 With the Amazonian species which follow this 

 habit, the males, as I am informed by the kindness of 



31 According to the observations of M. Gerbe ; see Giinther's ' Record 

 of Zoolog. Literature,' 1865, p. 194. 



32 Cuvier, ' Regne Animal,' vol. ii. 1829, p. 242. 



83 See Mr. Warington's most interesting description of the habits of 

 the Gasterosteus leiurus, in 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.' Nov. 1855. 



34 Prof. Wyman, in 'Proc. Boston Soc. of Nat. Hist.' Sept. 15, 1857. 

 Also, W. Turner, in 'Journal of Anatomy and Phys.' Nov. 1, 1866, p. 78 

 Dr. Gimther has likewise described other cases. 



