THE REMORA. 



237 



the vindictive fury of the conqueror." With their sjjines 

 the males — for it is only the stronger sex that is pugna- 

 cious — often rip one another up in their fierce encounters. 

 Sticklebacks have, however, a more pleasing interest, in 

 the fact that they are among the very few fish which 

 build nests — very rude structures as compared with the 

 exquisite homes of many birds, but still very wonderful 

 when we take into account the element in which they 

 work. After the eggs are deposited in the nest, the male 

 guards them until they are hatched ; and he it is who like- 

 wise looks after the young until they are able to cater for 

 themselves. 



The Remora, or Sucking-fish, is worth a passing notice, 



from the peculiar means it adopts in order to make its way 

 through the sea. It is a feeble fish, incapable of long-con- 

 tinued exertion ; yet it is widespread, and thus seems to 

 fare better than many more active species. It succeeds 



