MR. HANCOCK ON NIDIFICATIGN, ETC. 311 



flavlpes, and B. punctulatum ; also B. ( Lopha) Doris, B. ohtu^ 

 sum. var. hcemorrhoum, and Clivina collaris. Crypiohypnus 

 Quadntm, Coccinella quatuordecimguttata (beat from willows), 

 Haltica Modeeri, and Trogopliloeus fuliglnosus exhaust the cata- 

 logue of this day's rarities in Coleoptera. The marshes were 

 frequented by numbers of Ortalis crassipennis, a rare and 

 pretty fly. 



July 5th. — I returned to Scotland. 



Pemnanskiel, by Cockhurnspath, Berwickshire, 

 February lOth, 1852. 



XI. — Observations on the Nidijlcation of Gasterosteus aculeatus 

 and Gasterosteus spinachia. By Albany Hancock, 



[Read, at Bamburgh, August 11, 1852.] 



It is only within the last few years that naturalists have clearly 

 determined that some species of fish make nests for the reception 

 of their spawn ; though Aristotle was actually acquainted with 

 the fact about twenty- two centuries ago. 



Five or six kinds are now ascertained to nidify ; and of these, 

 two belong to the genus Gasterosteus, — one, G. aculeatus, the 

 Three-spined Stickleback ; the other, G. spinachia, the Fifteen- 

 spined Stickleback. The former is a well-known, active, and 

 pugnacious little fish, inhabiting almost every pool and rivulet 

 in the kingdom ; the latter is much rarer, and is a denizen of 

 the sea. 



Mr. Jonathan Couch states, in his interesting work entitled 

 " Illustrations of Instinct," that the first detailed notice of the 

 nest-building of the Three-spined Stickleback occurs in a little 

 magazine, "The Youth's Instructor," for the year 1834. This 

 notice is from the pen of Mr. T. Crookenden, a gentleman unknown 

 as a naturalist ; but who has given a very faithful account, so 

 far as it goes, of the nidification of this species. It contains all 



VOL. II. PT. III. 2 II 



