ANIMALS FOR. 41 



the fishes are, the less trouble will they give. Large 

 fish invariably require extensive arrangements, and 

 entail much labour. The smaller and more com- 

 mon fishes will therefore have our attention. 



The STICKLEBACK (Gasterosteus). I mention 

 this little fish first because I think he has claims 

 to the rank of the king of fishes. Whether we 

 regard his high organization, his courageous nature, 

 his domestic habits, his varied instincts, his power 

 of living in all waters at all temperatures, he is 

 fairly entitled to take the first place amongst fishes, 

 and rank high in the animal scale. And where is 

 this wonderful fish to be got ? The nearest pool, 

 pond, or ditch that has life in it is sure to have 

 sticklebacks. Take a walk on the nearest road out 

 of any country town, and the chances are that the 

 first boy you meet with a blacking-bottle or a 

 pickle-jar in his hand has got sticklebacks in it. 

 They are the first game of the youthful sportsman all 

 over Great Britain. You need not catch them your- 

 self ; a penny will buy a score of them from any of 

 these urchins. But should you wish to catch them 

 for yourself, always a great pleasure, and an art to 

 be cultivated, then a hand-net will take them by 

 dozens ; but this is a cowardly, wholesale way. If 

 you wish for " sport " at the same time, you will 

 angle for them ; not, however, with cruel hooks. 

 The stickleback is much too brave and incautious 

 a fellow to need a hook. A little red worm at the 

 end of a piece of twine is all that is necessary to 

 secure him. Once having seized the worm, he never 

 lets go, though you drag him out of one element 

 into another. 



When you have secured your stickleback, you 

 must not inconsiderately place him with other 

 fishes. I have asserted that he is a royal fish, and 

 you will soon discover that he will bear no rivals. 



