218 WHERE ROLLS THE OREGON 



It is the male toadfish {Batrachus tau) that 

 crawls into the nest-hole and takes charge of the 

 numerous family. He may dig the hole, too, as 

 the male stickleback builds the nest. I do not 

 know as to that. But I do know that I once 

 raised a stone in the edge of the tide along the 

 shore of Naushon Island in Buzzards Bay, to find 

 its under surface covered with round, drop-like, 

 amber eggs, and, in the shallow cavity beneath, 

 an old male toadfish, slimy and croaking, and 

 with a countenance ugly enough to tie a prowl- 

 ing egg-eating eel into a hard knot. I have done 

 this a score of times. The female deposits the 

 eggs, glues them fast with much nicety to the 

 under surface of the rock, as a female might, and 

 finishes her work. Departing at once, she leaves 

 the coming brood to the care of the male, who, 

 from this time, without relief or even food in all 

 probability, assumes the role and the responsibili- 

 ties of mother. 



Something like this is true of the common 

 hornpout or catfish, I believe, though I have 

 never seen it recorded, and lack the chance at 

 present of proving my earlier observations. I 

 think it is father catfish who takes charge of the 



