436 PARENTAL CARE AMONG FRESH-WATER FISHES. 



In an article on " The nest-builders of the sea," by Dr. C. F. 

 Holder, published in Har^Der's New Monthly Magazine for December, 

 1883 (LXVIIl, 105), a figure is published of a "hanging nest of 

 perai," representing a cocoanut-like object floating in the water, 

 loosely, suspended in the water from a palm-like tree, with two 

 fishes close by. Doctor Holder can not, at present at least, give me 

 the source of his information, but thinks it was " from some French 

 journal." By perai, i:>iraya or ])iranha is meant. 



CYPRINIDS. 



In the enormous family of the Cyprinids, or carp-like fishes, the 

 species generally neglect their eggs after oviposition, but a few make 

 special provision for them. One remarkable method is that exempli- 

 fied by the Bitterling of central Europe, and illustrated in the 

 Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections (XLVIII, 203, pi. 53). 

 Several American also take care of their eggs, especially the Horned 

 Dace {Semotilus atromaculatus) ^ the Black-headed Dace {Phne- 

 pJiales promeJas)^ and the Stone-roller {Oam/postoma anomaJuin). 

 Their nest-making habits have long been known, but imperfectly, 

 and next winter (1907) a full account may be expected from Prof. 

 Jacob Reighard, of Ann Arbor, who has been observing them for 

 years, and has already published preliminary communications. 



THE GLANIS. 



Many centuries ago a fish was noticed inhal)iting fresh waters in 

 northwestern Greece that exercised particular care for both the eggs 

 and young. The fish Avas especially an inhabitant of the river Achel- 

 ous, the largest of Greece, and was then known as the OlanJs. Aris- 

 totle gave more details respecting this fish than about any other. The 

 mode of oviposition and the subsequent paternal care manifested for 

 the eggs are described at considerable length in his History of Ani- 

 mals. The translation of liis words from the Greek, due to Prof. 

 Louis Agassiz, is the best that has appeared in English, and is there- 

 fore here reproduced with few modifications. Agassiz was probably 

 assisted by the eminent Greek scholar, Professor Felton. Aristotle's 

 account of the Glanis is not a continuous one, but distributed under no 

 less than seven chapters, wherein various organs or functions are con- 

 sidered. The sections relative to the spawning habits and parental 

 care occur in the sixth and ninth books. 



In the sixth book (chap. 13, sees. 2 to 4) the manner of spawning is 

 described as follows : 



The fresh-water fishes spawn in the still waters of rivers and 'akes among the 

 reeds, as the phoxinos (minnow) and the perke (yellow perch). The glanis 

 and tho i)erke give out their spawn in a continuous string, like the frogs; and, 



