EIVER GARDENS j 



beaten by sheer exhaustion, he is followed by the 

 conqueror, who chases him till himself unable to 

 pursue. Many such contests, however, terminate 

 fatally in the early part of the onset, fatal wounds 

 being at the first furious passes inflicted with the 

 spines. These, however, I am happy to say, are the 

 habits (as we are informed) of the male fish only, the 

 females being quite pacific and never interfering in 

 these sanguinary conflicts. 



They are indeed always without the gaudy and 

 soldier-like uniform of the male, which in sum- 

 mer is bright with glowing scarlet on the chest, 

 while on the back shades of rich purple are often 

 found, beautifully blending into green and white. 

 In combat they appear to have the power of assum- 

 ing their brilliant colours, as Indians do their war- 

 paint, and during the contest the little scaly warrior 

 is refulgent with scarlet, vivid green, and white. If 

 conquered, however, his war-paint fades to the 

 dullest hues, while the victor swims triumphant, 

 and still splendid in his gaudy uniform. If fatally 

 wounded, the defeated hero, in his latest agony, 

 once more assumes his splendid colouring (but not 

 so brightly), as though in his last delirium he 

 fancied himself the conqueror. 



In this power of changing colour the Stickleback 



