124 FISH HARVESTING. 
been thrown on to weight the slender fabric 
down, and give it substance and stability. Then 
more twists, turns, and splashings, to test the firm 
adherence of all the materials that are intended 
to constitute the foundation of the house, that 
has yet to be erected on it. The nest or nur- 
sery, when completed, is a hollow, somewhat 
rounded, barrel-shaped structure, worked together 
much in the same way as the platform fastened 
to the water-plants; the whole firmly glued 
together by the viscous secretion scraped from 
off the body. The inside is made as smooth as 
possible, by a kind of plastering system; the 
little architect continually goes in, then turning 
round and round, works the mucus from his body 
on to the inner sides of the nest, where it hardens 
like a tough varnish. There are two apertures, 
smooth and symmetrical as the hole leading into 
a wren’s nest, and not unlike it. 
All this laborious work is done entirely by 
the male fish, and when completed he goes 
a-wooing. Watch him as he swims towards a 
croup of the fair sex, enjoying themselves amidst 
the water-plants, arrayed in his best and bright- 
est livery, all smiles and amiability: steadily, 
and in the most approved style of stickleback 
love-making, this young and wealthy bachelor 
ee 
