190 NIDIFICATION OF THE COMMON STICKLEBACK. 



She spawned on the 24th. , then lay listlessly at the bottom amongst the 

 roots, and in a few days died, either from injuries in capture, or from being 

 worried by her pugnacious partner, whom I latterly observed driving her 

 smartly about. 



Having now undisputed possession of the glass, he mounted guard, hovering 

 above the nest, and often drew his body slowly over and in contact with 

 it; every now and then, at short intervals, placing himself directly in a 

 line with the hole, he rapidly vibrated the fins and tail, apparently to pass 

 a current of water through it; and should an unfortunate Snail at any time 

 trespass upon it, he immediately pounced upon and threw it aside. He merely 

 quitted his post to feed, eagerly taking small portions of earthworms from the 

 finger, and when satisfied, blowing the last portion from his mouth and 

 catching it again as if in play; but any thing applied to the outside of the 

 glass raised his cholor and spines in a moment. 



Commiserating his solitary condition, I one day put in three more by way 

 of company, but he had no idea of such intrusion, and having a home to 

 defend, shewed a most determined spirit; presently making the late quiet 

 little pond in a complete turmoil; rushing immediately on these unfortunate 

 intruders on his domain, he chased them rapidly round the glass, biting fiercely 

 at their tails, and, despite all their endeavours to hide amongst the plant, or 

 in the mud, etc., at the bottom, they were speedily turned out, worried 

 rapidly and repeatedly round, and would doubtless have been killed if I had 

 not quickly removed them with a silver tablespoon, which was also viciously 

 attacked by this irritated and determined defender of his invaded rights. On 

 placing the bottle with the removed fish against the glass, he immediately 

 rushed at them, and I observed his formidable lateral spines repeatedly pro- 

 jected. Of course after this exhibition of his pugnacity, he was left to manage 

 things his own way, and continued assiduously to attend the nest, frequently 

 and rapidly vibrating before it; and on the 16th. of May the young fry were 

 first observed swimming thickly about the nest, so small and transparent as 

 easily to be overlooked. For the first few days he guarded them jealously, 

 driving back stragglers to the nest, and occasionally seizing one, perhaps more 

 obstreperous than his fellows, in his mouth, he took it back, and blew it 

 out amongst the others; every now and then swimming around the glass as 

 if to ascertain that all was safe. The young, about fifty in number, gradually 

 ascended, and in a few days scattered about at the surface and amongst 

 the plant without interference. 



On the 20th, of May the water, which had not been meddled with, except 

 to fill up the loss caused by evaporation, and had remained quite clear, became 

 all at once so clouded, and with a greasy scum on the surface, that the 

 fish were barely discernible; and fearing I should lose them, about a quart 

 was dipped out, and refilled with fresh. The cause I could not ascertain, 

 possibly some discharge from the old fish, and from the number of young 

 being too great for the confined space. The plant has grown freely, and 



