RIVER GARDENS, ETC. 



small bundle of some green substance in his tiny 

 mouth, but, with all my watching, failed to discover 

 the purpose for which it was intended. But before 

 describing this interesting discovery, which, with 

 proper care, may be illustrated in a well-arranged 

 Aquarium, let us become more intimately acquainted 

 with the little creature, whose parental instincts in 

 the matter about to be described would seem to 

 place him far above all the larger kinds of fish, as 

 well of fresh as salt water. 



The Stickleback (of the genus Gasterosteus) is, as 

 we shall see, a most interesting little fellow. He is 

 found along our coasts aswell as in our inland streams, 

 and is, therefore, suitable either for the marine or 

 fresh-water Aquarium. He is possessed of muscular 

 strength which seems far beyond his small dimen- 

 sions ; and he displays his powers not only in com- 

 bats, often fatal to one or more of the contending 

 parties, but also in playful gambols, often leaping 

 above a foot out of the water when excited to more 

 than usual joyousness by the genial warmth of a 

 summer's afternoon. He might escape in this way 

 from an Aquarium and perish, if no protection were 

 placed over the tank, which is a precaution desirable 

 on many other accounts. His natural food consists 

 of small insects, chrysalids, and young fish just 



