764 



THE NATURE BOOK 





^-^ "^ 



STICKLEBACK. 



love, and lead her to the nest. He soon 

 finds out, however, that the old adage 

 that you may lead a horse to the water 

 but cannot make him drink unless he is 

 so disposed, applies equally well to his 

 mate, who, although quite willing to 

 observe the nest he has built, shows 

 at first considerable reluctance to enter 

 it ; and it requires all the perseverance 

 and powers of persuasion of the excited 

 little male fish to induce her to enter and 

 deposit her spawn. At last, however, 

 the female Stickleback goes into the 

 nest, but directly she has placed her 

 spawn therein, she emerges and departs, 

 leaving to her little mate all the anxious 

 and responsible duties of 

 looking after the eggs 

 until the young emerge 

 and can fend for them- 

 selves. The father Stickle- 

 back takes up the burden 

 of his duties quite cheer- 

 fully, and tends his pre- 

 cious charge with the 

 greatest devotion, never 

 straying far from the 

 nest until the young are 

 hatched. All day long he 

 mounts guard, attacking 

 and driving away any 

 unwelcome visitors who 

 attempt to approach, and 

 keeping up a constant 

 and vigorous fanning with 

 his fins at the entrance 

 to the nest, thus causing 



a continuous current of fresh, 

 well oxj-genated water to pass 

 through it. 



The Stickleback is not very 

 difficult to keep, and forms a 

 most interesting addition to tlie 

 fresh-water aquarium, where we 

 ha^'e an opportimitv of watching 

 its habits at our leisure ; and 

 I shall always have a vivid 

 recollection of a particularly 

 bright and pugnacious Stickle- 

 back who one spring built his 

 nest in one of my aquaria. He 

 was a luindsome, lively little fish, 

 doing combat on ah and every 

 occasion with his rivals for the 

 fin and heart of his lady-love. 

 In due course the nest was built, 

 the lady Stickleback, after much fussing, 

 had been induced to enter and deposit 

 her eggs ; then after the manner of her 

 kind, she departed to enjoy herself, leaving 

 her mate to his arduous duties. These he 

 fulfilled to the very letter, never quitting 

 his guard over the nest for an instant 

 except to chase away some real or 

 fancied foe. Just before the period of 

 the incubation of the eggs was completed, 

 however, three or four vigorous and 

 highly inquisitive Caddis-worms were un- 

 fortunately introduced into the tank. 

 From the moment of their arrival the 

 poor httle Stickleback knew no peace, 

 and was indeed almost driven crazy 



LIMSJEA STAGNALIS AND TWO SHELLS OF I'LAKURHIS. 



