DOMESTIC HABITS OF BUTTERFISH. 139 



upon spawning. At any rate, this usually very lively 

 and active fish is sluggish, weaker in colour, 

 and more lethargic at this time — the intelligent eye 

 looking at its captor with almost a beseeching 

 expression, probably as much for its offspring as for 

 itself. In captivity the t\vo x^arents lie around the 

 knot of spawn, with their heads and tails reversed, 

 in two concentric curves, x)aying most devoted atten- 

 tion to them if still incompletely incubated. The 

 knot keeps steadily expanding as the young 

 advance in development, so as to permit of a more 

 complete aeration of each individual egg or eyed 

 ovum, until it reaches a i)oint in which it is difficult 

 to conceive what attraction holds them together, so 

 slight is the point of contact, while they are by no 

 means remarkably glutinous. 



Very few of the ova are thus unfecundated or fail 

 of incubation — the ova, indeed, being less numerous 

 than in many fish. This seems to be the case with those 

 fishes that pay especial attention and give affection- 

 ate care to their young. Leaving little to chance, 

 they do not require such an excess of productivity. 

 As cases in point, we have not only the Sf/ngnathida^ 

 but the various species of small sucker-fish — all careful 

 parents, not over-productive. The restless, nervous 

 activity of the Butterfish is dependent upon light. 

 If these fish are placed in captivity in an open vessel, 

 they will leap out if they can ; but if provided with 

 the smallest shelter, behind or beneath which they 

 can place themselves, they are apparently quite at 

 their ease and remain quiescent. One I recently 

 kept by me for observation, while surrounded by a 

 very numerous progeny that had hatched out on the 

 way home, did not show the same interest in them, 

 now they were free of the slavery of their fellows 

 and the necessities of their production. The mother 

 was constantly leaping from the water, until I placed 

 a mussel shell in beside it, Avhen it was perfectly satis- 

 fied with this very inadequate protection, remaining 

 curled around it, and peering up with its very gentle 

 expression. 



