of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 175 
This curious action was most purposive and effective. The current 
created was so strong as to sway the algw growing on the side of the tank 
in the neighbourhood as well as the tentacles of the anemone, and even 
to cause the whole mass of eggs to rock visibly backwards and forwards. 
This action was done at brief intervals and from this time onwards. 
Later, when the eggs were hatching it was redoubled, and great activity 
was shown with the fins. The movement thus created in the water very 
probably helped the escape of the larval fishes from the eggs. At this 
time the “ pumping” or “blowing” action was at the rate of fifteen or 
sixteen in ten seconds, and in the pauses the fins were kept vigorously 
at work. 
On April 17th, I tried an experiment. I removed the devoted lump- 
sucker in a dip-net and placed him in an adjoining tank of the same 
dimensions, in which were a few dabs (which were greatly alarmed). 
After turning round once or twice, as if to get his bearings, he swam 
towards the corner where he expected the eggs to be and paused about a 
foot away. He then swam up to a stone at the back of the tank and 
paused again; he next moved restlessly all round the tank, and came 
back once more to what appeared to be the familiar corner; then he 
moved slowly towards the other corner and lay quietly on the bottom, 
having apparently abandoned the quest. 
Meantime, I endeavoured to get the cther male to undertake the 
guardianship of the eggs. He was driven gradually to the corner where 
they lay, and paused a moment, but rather, it may be conjectured, with 
surprise at the absence of his foe than from any impulse to attend to 
them. The experiment was repeated with a like result, no inclination 
being shown by this male to assume the duty. Whether he would have 
done so later may only be conjectured. Finally, I placed this male in 
the other tank beside the proper guardian in order to see whether the 
latter would attack him in the absence of the eggs. Hedid not. He 
merely looked at him, without making any attempt to approach or 
pursue him. On the other hand, the newcomer recognised his enemy, 
and rushed off as before, but finding that he was not pursued, he soon 
settled down and approached the other male, who took not the least 
notice of his presence. 
Both males were then put back into the tank containing the eggs. The 
guardian at once sought for them and resumed his duty, and with it 
also his animosity to the other male, and the old relationship was 
re-established. 
Towards the end of April the conditions were the same as before, the 
sentinel lumpsucker “blowing” and fanning the eggs, refusing mussels, 
removing them from near the eggs if dropped there, chasing away 
wandering flat-fishes and relentlessly pursuing the other male, and coming 
up angrily and aggressively when one approached the front of the tank. 
By this time the egg masses had become very dark, owing to the 
development of black pigment in the now well-advanced embryos. The 
masses at first, as stated, were pink ; this tint faded and they appeared 
pale green, whitish, then dirty amber-coloured, and then dark, for the 
yeason mentioned. 
The colours of the males were also different. The one that was 
guarding the eggs, and had probably fertilised them, had lost his bright- 
ness and was dingy, while the other,who most likely had not spawned, 
possessed the red colour on his fins aud Jower part as vividly as at first. 
More than a month had elapsed since the guarding male assumed duty, 
and during that time he had eaten nothing. He was looking thin and 
and was infested with ecto-parisites (Calig?), and appeared sometimes 
