360 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



soon as the eggs are properly disposed of. In tlie little brook wliich 

 comes to mj mind as I write two kinds of minnows come up the 

 stream together before the others realize that it is verily spring. 

 The one is small, dainty, translucent, and active, swimming free 

 in the water near the surface and able to take care of itself when 

 pursued by a sunfish or bass. Along the side of its body are two 

 black stripes not quite parallel, and between and below them the 

 silvery scales are flushed with fiery scarlet. The fins are all yellow, 

 with scarlet at base, and as the male passes and repasses before the 

 female all these colors, which she has not, grow brighter than ever. 



The next is a larger fish, clumsy in form, hugging the bottom 

 as he swims. The whole body of the male is covered with coarse 

 white warts, and across each fin is a bar of black, white, and orange. 

 This minnow feeds on mud, or rather on the little plants which grow 

 in mud, and his intestines are lengthened out proportionally. In 

 fact, they are so long that, to find room for them, they are wound 

 spool-fashion about the air bladder in a way which happens to no 

 other animal. 



Of the other minnows, the one attracts his female by a big, jet- 

 black head; another by the painted fins, which shine like white 

 satin; another by his deep-blue sheen, which is washed all over with 

 crimson. In fact, every conceivable arrangement of bright colors 

 can be found, if we go the country over, as the adornment of some 

 minnow when he mates in the spring. The only exception is green, 

 for to the fishes, as to the birds, gi-^en is not a color. It only serves 

 to cover one, while the purpose of real color is to be seen. 



And there are fishes whose colors are so placed that they are 

 hidden from above or below, but seen of their own kind which looks 

 on them from the side. 



The brightest fishes in the world, the " Johnny darters," are 

 in our little brook. But if you look at them from above you will 

 hardly see them, for they are dull olive on the back, with dark spots 

 and dashes like the weeds under which they lie. The male is only 

 a little fellow, not so long as your finger and slim for his size. lie 

 lies flat on the bottom, half hidden by a stone, around which his 

 tail is twisted. He will stay there for hours, unseen by other fishes, 

 except by his own kinsmen. But if you reach down to touch him 

 with your finger he is no longer there. The tail straightens out, 

 there is a flash of blue and scarlet, and a foot or two away he is 

 resting quietly as before. On the bottom is his place, and he 

 seems always at peace, but when he moves his actions are instan- 

 taneous and as swift as possible to a creature who lives in the water. 

 On the bottom, among the stones, the female casts her spawn. 

 Neither she nor the male pays any further attention to it, but in 



