1 66 FAUNA AND FLORA OF PALESTINE. 



Hulch. It was first described by Dr. Gunther from our specimens 

 collected in 1864. 



Dr. Lortet has made some very interesting notes on this peculiar fish, 

 which he found, as I also did, in the fountains adjoining the lake on the 

 west side (Ain Mudawarah, Ain et Tin, and Ain et Tabighah). It is 

 not distinguished by the fishermen with any special name, but included 

 under JMoitcJit. 



Dr. Lortet has made most interesting observations on the propagation 

 of this fish, which I venture, with his kind permission, to transcribe. 



The spawn is of the size of No. 4 shot, of a rich deep green. The 

 female deposits about two hundred eggs in a little excavation which she 

 works out among the rushes and roots. When she has completed her labour, 

 she appears e.xhausted, and remains motionless at a little distance. The 

 male, on the contrary, appears much agitated, turns himself round the 

 spawn, swimming constantly above them, and probably fecundates them 

 at this moment. In a few minutes afterwards he takes the ova one after 

 another into his mouth, and keeps them in the buccal cavity against his 

 cheeks, which then appear swollen in an e.xtraordinary manner. Some of 

 them, however, escajDe through his gills. The ova, though they are not 

 attached by any membrane, nor by any glutinous matter whatever, remain 

 very securely in his mouth, and are never dropped while he is in the 

 water. It is only when he is thrown out on the sand that, in the 

 struggles of his death-agony, they fall out, many, however, remaining 

 even then in his mouth. 



In this novel hatching-oven the eggs, during several days, undergo all 

 their metamorphoses. The little ones rapidly increase in size, and appear 

 to be much incommoded in their narrow prison. They remain in great 

 numbers, pressed one against another, like the grains of a ripe pome- 

 granate. The mouth of the father-nurse now becomes so distended by 

 his progeny that his jaws cannot meet. The cheeks are swollen, and the 

 animal presents the strangest appearance. Some of the young, arrived 

 at their perfect state, continue to live and develope among the folds of the 

 bronchiee. Others have their heads turned towards the mouth of the 

 parent, and do not quit the sheltering cavity till they are about 4 inches 

 long, and sufficiently active and nimble to escape their numerous enemies. 

 It is difficult to understand how the male, who thus carries more than two 



