THE BULLHEAD. 131 



tapering away to a mere nothing at the tail. 

 There are many species frequenting the lakes and 

 rivers of British Columbia, during the summer 

 months, for the purpose of spawning. On their 

 return to the sea., swarms of young bullheads, of 

 various species, regularly follow the ebb and flow 

 of the tide ; and in rough weather every breaker, 

 as it rushes up the shelving shingle, carries a 

 freight of tiny fish, that are left struggling amid 

 the pebbles in thousands, to be dragged back and 

 floated out again by the succeeding wave, or to 

 find a last home in the stomachs of the sea-birds. 

 The bullhead does not actually build a nest, 

 like the stickleback, but makes an egg-house, 011 

 the bottom of some sloAvly-running stream. The 

 male usually selects a hollow under a boulder, 

 or a space betwixt two stones, and shoves out the 

 lesser pebbles and gravel, to form a pit. This 

 accomplished, several females are in turn induced 

 to deposit their roe, having done which they are 

 driven off by the male, who supplies the milt, 

 then shovels the sand and pebbles, with his huge 

 horny head, over the treasure, until it is com- 

 pletely covered: more females, more eggs and 

 milt, more shovelling, until the affair is com- 

 pleted to the bullhead papa's satisfaction. 

 Xow stand clear all thievish prowlers ! Let any- 



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