PARENTAL CARE AMONG FRESH-WATER FISHES. 503 



all the time in the same peculiar manner as when it forced its way through the 

 nest, as before stated. 



On the i;^th of June, the hole at the top of the fruitful nest was found to 

 be much enlarged, so that the entire mass of spawn was exposed to view, and 

 on looking attentively a few of the newly hatched fry were seen flitting around 

 the wall of the nest. The assiduity of the parent was now greatly increased ; 

 it never left the spot ; by night it rested either on the nest or by its side, and 

 during the day nothing was allowed to approach. It fiercely seized a quill 

 that was passed down toward the object of its solicitude with such vigour that 

 the shock of attack was distinctly felt by the hand. Combats with its 

 companions became more frequent, but its ire was chiefly directed toward 

 its neighbour, which, like itself, was engaged in parental duties. This having 

 also a nest to defend, never shrank from the conflict, and the encounters were 

 therefore fierce and prolonged, but nevertheless conducted with all due caution 

 and apparently with much science, as the gentlemen of the ring would express 

 it. The sparring w^as very wary, and generally lasted a few seconds before the 

 combatants closed. The attack was usually commenced by one quietly creeping 

 up, watching its opportunity ; on this, the other, acting on the defensive, 

 would turn its broad side to the enemy, and raising the ventral spine wait to 

 receive the onslaught : the assailant, intimidated by this formidable demon- 

 stration, would then slowly retreat, and in its turn had in the same manner to 

 defend itself. After thus advancing and retreating for a few times, one, 

 taking advantage of an unguarded moment, would rush in upon its opponent 

 and butt at it with its head, apparently endeavoring to bite ; the other, rallying, 

 returned the compliment, and after dashing at each other in this way two or 

 three times with extraordinary rapidity the round would terminate and each 

 fish retreat to its nest, to recommence its more innnediate nidimental duties. 



The fry were at first so minute and transparent that they could scarcely 

 be discerned as they lay partially concealed amid the meshes of the nest ; 

 every now and then a slight fluttering motion i)etrayed their position, other- 

 wise it was almost impossible to distinguish them. As I closely watched their 

 motions at this time, one of the newly hatched fishlings, with intrepidity 

 beyond its experience, ventured to pass the limits of its cradle: in an instant 

 the watchful parent was there, and with gaping mouth seized the little wan- 

 derer, which innuediately disappeared, the jaws having closed upon it. Seeing 

 this I at once gave up the fry as lost, deeming that here was an instance of 

 instinct at fault and that all the affectionate solicitude of the parent was to 

 end in devouring its offspring. In this I was mistaken: the old fish, (luietly 

 returning, dropped the straggler into its nest lively and uninjured. Diu-ing 

 the whole of this day none of the fry were permitted to ramble beyond the 

 precincts of their fold ; when any attempted to do so — and many did attempt — 

 they were invariably brought back in the mouth of the parent: none escaped 

 its vigilant eye, and it was amusing to see with what a hurried, fluttering 

 motion the little things dropi)e(l almost perpendicularly down into the nest, 

 so soon as they were released from the jaws of the parent. 



It was three days before all the eggs were hatched, and the attention of the 

 parent during all this time was unremitting. On the second day I marked its 

 manoeuvres for five minutes and found that in this short period it ventilated the 

 nest eight times, warded off an attack of the neighbouring fish, and brought back 

 to the nest a straggler or two. During this day the spawn was frequently 

 examined by the parent, who would occasionally seize hold of it and give it a 

 good shake, ajiparently for the purpose of throwing off adherent matter, that the 

 water might fi'eely circulate about the eggs. The parent would then dive head 



