THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



[SECOND SERIES.] 

 No. 58. OCTOBER 1852. 



XXI. — Observations on the Nidification o/Gasterosteus aculeatus 

 and Gasterosteus spinachia. By Albany Hancock *. 



It is only within the last few years that naturalists have clearly 

 determined that some species of fish make nests for the recep- 

 tion of their spawn ; though Aristotle was actually acquainted 

 with the fact about twenty-two centuries ago. 



Five or six kinds are now ascertained to nidify ; and of these, 

 two belong to the genus Gasterosteus, — one, G. aculeatus, the 

 Three-spined Stickleback ; the other, G. spinachia, the Fifteen- 

 spined Stickleback. The former is a well-known, active, and 

 pugnacious little fish, inhabiting almost every pool and rivulet 

 in the kingdom ; the latter is much rarer, and is a denizen of 

 the sea. 



Mr. Jonathan Couch states, in his interesting work entitled 

 ' Illustrations of Instinct,' that the first detailed notice of the 

 nest-building of the Three-spined Stickleback occurs in a little 

 magazine, ' The Youth's Instructor,' for the year 1834. This 

 notice is ifrom the pen of Mr. T. Crookenden, a gentleman un- 

 known as a naturalist ; but who has given a very faithful account, 

 so far as it goes, of the nidification of this species. It contains all 

 that is at present known on the subject, and its accuracy can be 

 verified by any one who will take the trouble to look into almost 

 any pool of water during the summer months, — the breeding 

 season of the Stickleback. At this time, these fish will be ob- 

 served near to the margins, busily engaged in building and 

 guarding their nests ; and shoals of the fry may be seen, in dif- 

 ferent stages of development, swimming about in all directions. 

 But if we wish to study, to advantage, the nidification of this 



* Read before the Tyneside Naturalists* Field Club, August 11, 1852. 

 Ann. S^Ma^.N. Hist, Ser.2. Vol.x. 16 



