CONCERNING SMALL FRY. 91 



spawn ; at least by these means a current of water 

 was made to set in towards the nest, as was 

 evident by the agitation of particles of matter 

 attached to it. This fanning, or ventilation, was 

 frequently repeated every day until the young 

 were hatched, and sometimes the little fellow- 

 would dive head foremost into his nursery and 

 bring out a mouthful of sand, which he would 

 carry to some distance and discharge with a puff. 

 At the end of a month, the young ones were 

 first perceived. The nest was built on the 23rd 

 of April, the young appeared first on May 2ist. 

 Unremitting as had been the attention of this 

 exemplary parent up to the time of the hatching 

 of the eggs, he now redoubled his assiduity. He 

 never left the spot either by night or by day, 

 and during the daytime he guarded it most pertina- 

 ciously, allowing nothing to approach. If any of 

 the water animals chanced to come near, he would 

 instantly pounce upon them, and unceremoniously 

 shove or tumble them over. If a stick or quill 

 were passed down from the top of the vessel, he 

 struck it fiercely, and with such smartness that 

 the blow was distinctly felt by the hand. The 

 fry were at first so minute and transparent 

 that they were scarcely perceptible, and it was 

 only by a slight fluttering motion their position 

 could be occasionally discovered, otherwise it was 



