GURNARDS. 81 



nest it may be called. It consisted of the very 

 minutest pieces of straw, or sticks, the exact 

 colour of the ground at the bottom of the water, 

 on which it was laid : so that it was next to an 

 impossibility for any one to discover the nest, un- 

 less he saw the fish at work, or observed the eggs. 

 The nest is somewhat larger than a shilling, and 

 has a top or cover, with a hole in the centre, 

 about the size of a very small nut ; in which are 

 deposited the eggs, or spawn. This opening is 

 frequently concealed by drawing small fragments 

 over it ; but this is not always the case. Many 

 times have I taken up the nest, and thrown the 

 eggs to the multitude around, which they instant- 

 ly devoured with the greatest voracity. These 

 eggs are about the size of poppy-seeds, and of a 

 bright-yellow-colour ; but I have at times seen 

 them almost black, which I suppose is an indica- 

 tion that they are approaching to life. In making 

 the nest, I observed that the fish used an un- 

 common degree of force when conveying the 

 material to its destination. When the fish was 

 about an inch from the nest, it suddenly darted 

 at the spot, and left the tiny fragment in its 

 place ; after which it would be engaged for half a 

 minute in adjusting it. The nest, when taken up, 

 did not separate, but hung together, like a piece 



of wool The place chosen by these fishes 



for their nests is where the ground forms an 

 inclined plane, and in about six inches of water 

 .... I think they breed early in the^ month of 

 August." 



Another species of the same genus, the largest 

 which is found on our shores,, the Fifteen-spined 

 Stickleback (G. spinachia)^ sometimes called the 



G 



