COMMON STICKLEBACK. PILOT-FISH. 279 



mouth is extremely wide ; and the eyes are very large. 

 The sea-perch is common in the Mediterranean, and its 

 flesh is held in great estimation. 



THE COMMON STICKLEBACK. 



This fish is distinguished by having three spines on 

 its back, in which character it differs from the rest of 

 the genus. It grows to about the length of two inches, 

 and is very common, particularly in new-made ditches ; 

 where its origin cannot easily be traced. The colour of 

 the back and sides is an olive-green ; and the belly is 

 white ; but in some the lower jaw and belly are of a bright 

 crimson. 



These fishes are very numerous in the fens of Lincoln- 

 shire, and some of the rivers that issue from them. Once 

 in seven or eight years, countless myriads of them ap- 

 pear in the Welland, near Spalding, ascending the river 

 in the form of a column. These are supposed to be the 

 multitudes that have been washed out of the fens by the 

 floods of several years ; and collected in some subter- 

 ranean retreat, till, overcharged with numbers, they are 

 obliged to seek a change of place. On these occasions, 

 they are caught in such prodigious quantities, that they 

 are used by the country people as a manure for the 

 land. 



THE PILOT-FISH. 



This creature is found in the Mediterranean and At- 

 lantic, chiefly towards the equator. It has been variously 

 described by different naturalists ; but it appears that the 

 body is shaped like that of a mackerel, the head is long 

 and smooth, and the snout advances some distance beyond 

 the mouth. It has two small fins near the head ; another 

 running along the back from the head to the tail ; and 

 one under the belly, a similar length. The colour is 

 brownish, changing into gold ; and there are several trans- 

 verse black belts. 



Mariners observe, that this fish frequently accompanies 



