1^2" DXTBLIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



from some of the Members who are better qualified for the task, similar lists 

 for other localities ; and, secondly, because 1 am convinced that nothing solid 

 can be done for developing the natural history of this island, until we have si- 

 milar local lists of at least every county in Ireland — lists, not merely of the 

 fishes, but of every class of animated nature, showing the distribution, variety, 

 &c., of every species, and thereby clearing away a great many of the mysteries 

 and doubts that at present envelop the Fauna of this country. 



Mr. Kinahan referred to the statements of Yarrell and others on the spawn- 

 ing of Gasterosteus, that they deposit their ova on the leaves of aquatic plants, 

 and stated that he Iselieved it was an error copied from previous writers, as he 

 never found the ova on plants, but invariably deposited in the dome of the nests, 

 several of which were exhibited to the meeting. 



JUNE 16, 1854. 



FURTHER REMARKS ON THE SPAWNING OF THE SMOOTH-TAILED STICKLEBACK 

 (G. LEIURUS). by J. B. KINAHAN, M.B. 



Yesterday, when walking along the River Dodder, above Clonskeagh, my at- 

 tention was attracted by what the Norwegians call a " lek,"i.e. a number offish 

 assembled at the edge of the pond for spawning purposes. On examination, I 

 was slightly surprised at finding that they were my old friends the stickleback, 

 as on the 23rd April I had taken at Moorefield, Roebuck, the nidus of this spe- 

 cies containing ova on the point of bursting. This led me to watch the proceed- 

 ings, and I had the pleasure of witnessing the process of the deposition, and, as 

 I believe, the impregnation of the ova. Among the many " cock" pinkeens 

 anxiously mounting guard over their nests, one especially attracted attention by 

 his movements ; instead of boring at the upper entrance of the nest, as I for- 

 merly described, he would make convulsive darts at the edge of the nest, which 

 seemed to me larger than usual ; he also seemed more tolerant of the presence of 

 intruders than ordinarily is the case. The cause soon appeared, as in about 

 three minutes a large female darted out at the opposite side of the nest I now 

 show, in which, doubtless, she had been depositing her spawn ; the male imme- 

 diately wriggled himself in, and remained there upwards of thirty seconds. He 

 then came out, sailed round the nest, tucking in the loose straws with his snout, 

 then swam off to his partner, and, after conducting her into deep-water, re- 

 turned to the duty of mounting guard, as I formerly described it. Another cock 

 also attracted my attention from the brilliancy of his colours ; and, from obser- 

 vations made on him, I am strongly inclined to think that these fish are not po- 

 lygamous, but monogamous. His occupation was endeavouring to persuade a 

 •• hen" pinkeen to deposit her ova in his nest. The manoeuvres of both fish were 

 most amusing; on the whole it appeared as if he was more courted than court- 

 ing. He would suddenly sail off from her ; she would follow, sailing round him 

 in circles till she almost touched him, when he would turn and look at her, and 

 off they would sail, side by side, towards the nest. On approaching this, he 

 would impatiently dart forward and poke his nose into the side entrance, as if 

 to show what a grand house he had prepared for her, but she would immediately 

 coquettishly turn off, and sail slowly away ; he immediately would follow, but 

 after a short pursuit would return, as if in dudgeon, to his old beat, on which 

 she would begin her old circle-sailing and teasing of him. Sometimes another 

 fish would intrude on him while thus engaged, when an instant chase would oc- 

 cur. If the fish were a gudgeon, I remarked he as often let them alone as chased 

 them. If this chase lasted too long, the hen would sail off for deep-water, and 

 then it was his turn to follow her and bring her back, darting backwards and 

 forwards in the most ludicrously distressed manner possible; and, when he found 

 her, pretending not to see her, but keeping aloof — a proceeding she did not at 



