ON SMALL FISH, PRINCIPALLY USED AS BAITS. 285 



small worm on the smallest of hooks, is the best bait for 

 them. Probably, however, few anglers will care to know 

 anything further as to how they may be caught, the 

 former species being of little account except for the 

 purpose of bait, when it can generally be more con- 

 veniently caught with the Minnow nets,-^ and the latter 

 being useless for either purpose. 



To the naturalist, on the contrary, these little fish, and 

 especially the Sticklebacks, are more interesting than 

 almost any of the larger species. I daresay it will sur- 

 prise many of my readers to be told, for example, that 

 the Stickleback, of which our streams and ponds pro- 

 duce six distinct species, are the only British fresh-water 

 fish that build complete nests like birds, in which to 

 deposit their eggs ; and that during the subsequent 

 spawning process they display in their diminutive bodies 

 a courage, solicitude, and even affection, almost without 

 a parallel amongst fish. If the Pike is the tyrant of the 

 water, the Stickleback is certainly entitled to be regarded 

 as its knight errant. Now with bated weapons and 



* The minnow net is quite peculiar in principle and application, and 

 owes its success to the curiosity which is so strikingly characteristic of 

 the species — males as well as females. It consists of a circular piece of 

 fine net stretched nearly flat over an iron hoop of about two feet in 

 diameter. The hoop is suspended by cords at the sides, like the 

 suspenders of church candle-lamps, and these being attached to a pole 

 the net is dropped horizontally into the water, and suddenly lifted up 

 again when a sufficient number of minnows have congregated over it. 

 Little pieces of red cloth sewn into the net will increase the number of 

 visitors. 



