INSTINCT. 77 
modified and pierced with more than a thousand aper- 
tures through which the web is drawn? And how could 
these organs serve their purpose while the complex in- 
stincts required for their functioning were only in course 
of development? 
From a German monthly devoted to aquaria, we 
quote the following: “But now, dear readers, we come 
to:a fish which shows an exceptionally peculiar and touch- 
ing care for its young—the mouth-brooder, Haplochro- 
mis Strigigena (formerly Paratilapia Multicolor). This 
fish is so much concerned about the safety of its young, 
that it knows no better and no more secure place than 
its own mouth in which to preserve them. In no other 
division of the animal kingdom can we find such an in- 
teresting example of fostering care for the young as we 
find in this species of fish. Immediately after emitting 
the spawn the female again gathers up the eggs and 
packs them away in her mouth like herring in a barrel. 
She naturally must employ the organs of the throat and 
also the organs between the gills and thus the appearance 
of the animal is greatly changed even to the extent that 
it looks very much like as if she had a craw. Further- 
more, during this entire period, which is about fourteen 
days, the little animal cannot take food and is hampered 
very much in her movements. Therefore in case of 
imminent danger it becomes necessary for her to cast 
out the entire brood which then wretchedly perish, and 
for this reason it is to be recommended to disturb or dis- 
quiet these animals during this period as little as possible. 
Even after the young leave the mother of their own ac- 
cord, they always flee to her protecting mouth, and thus 
they present an exciting aspect, when they are first seen 
peacefully and contentedly playing about the mother fish, 
until a shadow or a sudden thrust warns them of danger 
and quick as lightning they dart into her mouth. 
