TEN-SPINED STICKLEBACK. 13 



was something good inside. Conscience-stricken that I was the author of this terrible catas- 

 trophe — for as long as the father-fish was present to protect his property the alien cannibals 

 dared not approach — I restored my prisoner to the water, and gently put him in over the 

 spot where about thirty remorseless strangers were devastating the nest and devouring the 

 contents. For the space of about half a minute my liberated captive hardly seemed to know 

 where he was, or what he had been doing. Soon, however, he collects his scattered senses, 

 and discovering the appalling nature of the fact, rushes to the rescue ; first one and then 

 another invader is attacked, and compelled to beat a hasty retreat, and wonderful to relate, 

 in the space of about ten minutes not a foe was to be seen, and the brave defender was left 

 in undisturbed possession of the field. What was to happen next ? The conqueror surveys 

 the ruined state of affairs, 



"Haec loca vi quondam et vasta convulsa ruina." 



and hastens to repair the fearful breaches which the besiegers had made. This he does by 

 bringing mouthfuls of weed and bits of rotten twigs and other things, which he places upon 

 the nest, using his nose to hammer the materials together. 



The observation of these fish when confined in an aquarium is attended with as much 

 delight as in their native ponds. The development of the ova may be watched under the 

 microscope — not however so readily as in a Perch's eggs — and the little occupants be seen to 

 jerk about their tails some time before they leave the vitelline membrane. Strange, undevel- 

 oped things in their rudimentary mouth and vitelline sac adhering to the abdomen, they cannot 

 help attracting attention and exciting curiosity. For the first few days the little fry are seen 

 close to the nest, lying for the most part on their sides inactively ; but as they grow they 

 become more vigorous, and anxious to see something of the world. But the father-fish is slow 

 to encourage such juvenile desires, for is he not well aware that danger lurks on every side? 

 And so, as I myself have seen, should some little occupant of the nursery, moved by piscine 

 curiosity, stray away a little too far from the paternal abode, " does his father know he is 

 out?" Yes, indeed, very soon, and after him he hies, seizes the young truant in his mouth, 

 as a cat would her kitten, and shoots him out right upon the nest. 



I have no personal knowledge of the several varieties of G. aciilcatiis ; they are thus 

 described by Giinther : — 



G. gynmurus. — "Four or five scaly plates above the pectoral fin, the remainder of the 

 body naked. Middle and southern parts of Europe, England, France, South Germany, Baltic." 

 This appears to be G. Iciurus of Yarrell (i. p. 95), and the Quarter-armed Stickleback of 

 Parnell {Fishes of the Frith of Forth, p. 190, pi. 25). 



G. sc7niarmatus. — "The front part of the side with a series of ten to fifteen scaly plates. 

 France, Belgium, England." 



G. semiloricatus. — "The series of scales reachinij to the front end of the caudal keel. 

 France, Ireland." (See Thompson's Nat. Hist. Ireland.) 



G. trachurus. — "The sides of body and tail entirely covered with a series of scaly plates. 

 North parts of Europe, North Germany, England, France." This is the general type of 

 aeideatiis. 



The fin raj'S in G. aculeatits are 



Dorsal 3 spines -\- lo — 12. 

 Pectoral 10. 



Anal I spine -|- 8 — 9. 



Ventral i spine -h i. 



The Ten-spined Stickleback, (G. pimgitius,) a well-marked species, is one of the 

 smallest of British fishes. Though generally distributed, it is not nearly so common as the 

 Three-spined. I occasionally obtain specimens from the ditches on Preston-Weald Moors, 



