FISHES 163 



To the thoughtful student it must be a matter for 

 continual surprise that whereas the Reptiles, which are 

 biologically much more highly constituted animals than 

 the Fishes, show little or no solicitude for their families, 

 the Fishes both in their courtship and care for the young 

 often ascend to heights scarcely surpassed either by birds 

 or mammals. Although the fish populace of the seas 

 greatly exceeds that of the fresh-waters, few of its 

 teeming thousands show that care for their offspring 

 which is characteristic of many inhabitants of lakes or 

 rivers. 



Throughout the seas, actual courtship usually consists of 

 swimming round and round the female, prodding her with 

 the snout, pulling her fins, or where the fishes' make-up 

 so permits intertwining bodies. Though the male at 

 such times may be excited to the last degree of frenzy, 

 there appears to be no lasting affection as with many birds 

 or mammals and a new partner is sought automatically the 

 next season. How intensive male rivalry may be at times 

 is well evidenced in the case of a certain perch-like fish 

 found in Hawaii. Fishermen turn the male's pugnacity 

 to account by tethering an excited swain near concealed 

 nets and in due course other males are quickly attracted 

 to the spot and trapped. 



The making of a home or otherwise is dictated largely 

 by the " number in family." Where the ova are broadcast 

 by the million any attempt at home-making is obviously 

 impossible. Such eggs are allowed to drift at the will 

 of wind and wave, buoyed up by their own oily globules. 

 Only mass production can ensure any such eggs surviving 

 to hatch into fry or the fry attaining to maturity and so 



