270 The Life Story of the Fish 



her. He takes her by the throat or the back, or some other 

 portion of her anatomy. His jaws sink in. And he never 

 lets go again. By and by his skin grows together with her 

 skin. Her blood-vessels make connection with his blood- 

 vessels. His mouth degenerates and becomes functionless. 

 He becomes literally one with her. 



In an earlier chapter it was said that no cases of monog- 

 amy in the fish world could be proved j and even here, in 

 spite of first appearances to the contrary, true monogamy 

 does not exist, for the female may attach unto herself several 

 males. But of unswerving masculine devotion to a single 

 spouse this is unquestionably the world's outstanding ex- 

 ample. Here is conjugal faithfulness carried to the ultimate 

 degree. Here are no puny words about "till death do us 

 part." Not even death will part this little fish from his mate. 

 If she dies, he at once dies also. Here is marital fidelity 

 beyond the powers of the most virtuous of the human 

 species. 



Poor fish, indeed! 



