REPRODUCTION AND SEX 557 



among polygamous birds. Small herds of eight or so elephants 

 seem to consist, in some cases at least, of a mother and her children, 

 whose births have been well spaced out over many years. A mother 

 marsupial with her young ones in her pocket, or on her back, illus- 

 trates a quaintly simple form of maternal family; and we can follow 

 this into simpler and simpler expressions down to cases like the 

 hermaphrodite brook-leech, which carries its young ones on the 

 under side of its body. We must again lay emphasis on the difference 

 between parental care before birth and helpful association after- 

 wards; thus, when certain mother Cichlid fishes hatch their few 

 eggs in their mouth, that is remarkable maternal care; but when 

 as in some of these fishes (allied to wrasses), the hatched young ones 

 swim about around their mother and return to her mouth when 

 they are in danger, that is a simple instance of a maternal family. 

 Some of the illustrations are startling; thus it is reported of certain 

 kinds of scorpions that they catch insects for their offspring, and even 

 prepare the food by tearing it into small pieces. 



The third kind of family is paternal, where the father takes sole 

 charge. Thus the male stickleback makes a nest and defends it, and 

 passes from father to patriarch as he looks after the brood until 

 they are able to be left to themselves. When they stray prematurely 

 he brings them back to safety, thus striking a very distinct family 

 note. It is well known that a number of male fishes take charge of 

 the eggs, the Sea-horse in his breast-pocket, the Kurtus on the top 

 of his head, and the Gaff-topsail in his mouth — which means fasting 

 for two months; but these and other equally strange cases are 

 illustrations of nothing beyond paternal care. The family note begins 

 to be struck when the male of the fish called Arius not only incubates 

 the eggs in his mouth, which seems a little like tempting Providence, 

 but, after the hatched young ones sally forth, opens his jaws for 

 them to return when danger is imminent. Better a father's jaws 

 than a stranger's ! 



One likes the story of the American Amia or Bow-fin, where the 

 male mounts guard over a rough-and-ready "nest" that has been 

 cleared among the water-weeds. After the young are hatched out 

 they leave their cradle in a body, and their proud father goes with 

 them. He circles round the swarm like a collie round a flock of sheep, 

 and they remain under his watchful eye and solicitous protection 

 for about four months. This is family life. 



Strangest of all is the behaviour of the male Rainbow Fish, 

 Trichogaster, who makes a floating island of pieces of water-weed, 

 buoyed up with bubbles of air. He injects the bubbles of air so 

 deftly that the centre of the little island is swollen up like an open 

 umbrella. Under this canopy he brings the female, whom he has 

 diligently courted, and she liberates the eggs so that they float up 

 under the bubble-nest. The male not only guards the nest, but keeps 



