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and later on guards the brood for about four months, courage- 

 ously defending it against every foe. When the female has 

 made numerous visits, the nest is enlarged and provided with se- 

 veral exits. During the spring-months the laying of the eggs, 

 and their bold defence by the male, may very often be ob- 

 served in the Aquarium. 



The numerous varieties of mudfish (Blennius) are small , 

 bold, voracious fish, which, in spite of their awkwardness in 

 swimming, are very lively. They inhabit the algae-grown re- 

 gions of the rocky coasts in shoals. They may be seen pursuing 

 each other among the rocks and sea-weed. When danger ap- 

 proaches they disappear into some corner quick as lightning. 

 They are very curious, tasting everything that comes in their 

 way , and they molest all inoffensive animals. They tear off 

 the heads of the annelids, attack the eyes of crabs and fishes, 

 and pull the anemones till they die. 



The largest and most beautiful of this species is the Butterfly 

 fish (Blennius ocellaris), which has large erectable dorsal 

 fins with a dark blue spot in the middle. 



Passing from these ground fish to those which move freely 

 through their crystal element , we come first to some good 

 swimmers, who, however, still cling to the bottom of the water 

 and near the coast , where they sometimes remain quiet and 

 sometimes swim about. Of this class many species of Gur- 

 nards (Trigla) and Flying -gurnards (Dactylopterus) live in 

 the Gulf. The first are distinguished by a peculiar growling 

 noise which they make when taken out of the water. This noise 

 is produced by the friction of certain parts of their hard gill- 

 cases against neighbouring parts. Their movements when on 

 the ground are also curious, for they run along. on the ribs 

 of their pectoral fins, which are unconnected by any skin, like 

 crabs run on their legs. These pectoral fins are like splendidly 

 coloured wings, and by their aid the fish can spring out of the 

 water. They are very voracious, and have enormous mouths. 



The Flying-Robin (Dactylopterus volitans) is a beautiful 

 creature, which uses its strongly developed pectoral fins like 

 real wings. These fish live in swarms sometimes creeping on 

 the ground, at others swimming about in all directions. They 

 rise with a noisy beating of their fins to a height of sixteen 

 feet above the surface of the water, and after a flight of some 

 100 feet, fall back, to repeat the same sport. Frequently se- 

 veral swarms follow each other, and are seen rising and sinking 

 in rapid sequence. When such swarms take a decided direction 



