172 



THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



observed any fact in natural history myself, I describe it in my 

 own words; but when I 'take it from the observation of others, 

 it is fairer to them to use their own words, and far better in the 

 interests of truth : 



" Two pair of sticklebacks were procured about the middle 

 of April, the males having already put on their spring dress 

 of scarlet and green, and the females being full of spawn. 



" After a few days a small hole was observed in the sand near 

 a large stone. To this hole one of the males was paying the 





METAMORPHOSES OF NEWT. 



most assiduous and extraordinary attention. He was poising 

 himself at an angle of forty-five degrees or thereabouts ; he com- 

 menced a tremendous motion of his whole body, making the 

 sand a pivot, and at the same time beating the water with his 

 fins. This motion increased regularly in rapidity for a minute 

 or so, when it ceased abruptly, and the fish darted off, either in 

 pursuit of some trespasser whom he chastised (the females not 

 even being exempt), or to obtain materials to increase his nest. 

 These consisted of pieces of stick or moss, which being saturated 



