PARENTAL AFFECTION IN FISHES. 7^ 



allow themselves to be taken up by the hand re- 

 peatedly. There can be no doubt their object in 

 remaining near their nest is to guard against the 

 attacks of such animals as might feel inclined to 

 prey upon their contents/' " Nor does the case of 

 the Hassars," says Dr. Hancock, " end with the pre- 

 paration of their nest : they remain by its side till 

 the spawn is hatched, with as much solicitude as a 

 hen guards her eggs ; both the male and female 

 Hassar steadily watching the spawn, and courage- 

 ously attacking every assailant. Hence the negroes 

 frequently take them by putting their hands into 

 the water close to the nest, when the male springs 

 furiously at them, and so is captured." (Zool. Jour., 

 iv. 245.) And once more, " the Goramies," observes 

 General Hardwick, " continued to watch with the 

 most active vigilance the margins of the spot they 

 had selected and prepared ; driving away with vio- 

 lence every other fish which approached their cover. 

 From the time I first observed their operations, 

 about a month had elapsed, when one day I saw 

 numerous minute fishes close to the margin of the 

 grass, on the outer side of which the parent fishes 

 continued to pass to and fro. I saw them often for 

 many days after, though I had not an opportunity 

 to notice their total dispersion from the spot/' 

 (Ib. 309.) 



Fabricius supplied a fact, as noted by Mr. Yar- 

 rell, which bears on this point respecting the Lump- 

 fish, belonging to the family Cydopteridce. " The 

 female," remarks the Danish naturalist, " in ap- 



