145 



and the idea suggests itself that the inhabitants of these ponds may be 

 as peculiarly adapted to the circumstances under which they exist, as the 

 vegetation which we have already passed under review. 



Drawing near to the edge of one of these, we discover a densely 

 packed shoal of minute lisli hastening from the shallows in which we 

 have surprised them, to the deeps, which are, nevertheless, not sufficiently 

 profound to conceal from us the footprints of the heron, which has 

 lately been wading amongst them upon a tour of inspection : not that we 

 may stippose that one of the little creatures we have seen could be 

 worthy of his lordly notice, as not one of them exceeds an inch in length, 

 and theii" lateral and ventral developments are absolutely insignificant. 

 They have veiy much the appearance of sticklebacks, but the unanimous 

 manner in which they move in shoals, upon the mere falling of a shadow 

 over them, shows that they must be habitually subject to a degi'ee of 

 surveillance very different to that of their ordinary congeners, whose 

 perfect composure or easy impudence in the wayside ditch, or in the 

 vivaiium, must have frequently attracted the attention of the observer. 



We determine to satisfy ourselves of their specific identity, and contrive 

 to cut off the escape of a portion of the shoal in a part of the excavation 

 so shallow, that they carmot escape examination. 



Sticklebacks, sure enough, are there, of the species commonest in the 

 district, Gasterosteus aculeatus, with two spines, and G. pungitius, with 

 nine, but we find that their companions in flight are the fry of fish, which 

 are unknown to us in any of the neighbouring fresh waters, and which 

 we are unable to identify. The old river bed, traceable from near the 

 last-named breakwater for a distance of some three miles towards 

 Frampton, still retains a considerable expanse of shallow water, 

 although not in any way admitting it from the tidal portion, but affords 

 as yet, few attractions ; and, as compared with the smallest pond upon the 

 older reclaimed land, shows itself to be as yet uncolonized. The only 

 water-plant in view, from the spot where we stand, with the exception 

 of one small patch of the bulrush, which has taken possession of an " ait " 

 is the sombre Chara nidifica, the proliferous Stonewort or Water Horse- 

 tail, from amidst which, repeated sweeps of the dredge produce only a few 

 specimens of a dirty, yellow-looking variety, of the common three-spined 

 stickleback — G. Aculeatus, small examples of the common pond snail, 

 Limncms peregrtnus, but no other mollusc or insect, even here indicating, 

 that although cut off from the influx of the tidal current, its waters yet hold in 

 solution from the soil, too many of the marine salts, and other elements with 

 which it is impregnated, to fit them for the abode of the ordinary inhabit- 

 ants of fresh water. 



