172 THRRE-SPINED STICKLEHACK. 



part of the summer months, and paid close attention to their 

 habits, I am enabled, from my own experience, to vouch for 

 the l\xcts I am about to relate. I have generally kept them 

 in a deal tub, about three feet long, two feet wide, and about 

 two feet deep. When they ai'c put in, for some time (pro- 

 bably a day or two) they swim about in a shoal, apparently 

 exploring their new habitation. Suddenly one will take pos- 

 session of the tub, or, as it "will sometimes happen, the bottom, 

 and will instantly commence an attack upon his companions; 

 and, if any one of them ventures to oppose his sway, a regular 

 and most furious battle ensues; they swim round and round 

 with the greatest rapidity, biting, (their mouths being well 

 furnished with teeth,) and endeavouring to pierce each other 

 with their lateral spines, which, on these occasions, are projected. 

 I have witnessed a battle of this sort, which lasted several 

 minutes before either would give way; and when one does 

 submit, imagination can hardly conceive the vindictive fury of 

 the conqueror, who, in the most persevering and unrelentive 

 way, chases his rival from one point of the tub to another, 

 until fairly exhausted with fatigue. From this period an 

 interesting change takes place in the conqueror, who, from 

 being a speckled and greenish-looking fish, assumes the most 

 beautiful colours; the belly and lower jaws becoming a deep 

 crimson, and the back sometimes a cream-colour, but generally 

 a fine green, and the whole appearance full of animation and 

 spirit. I have occasionally known three or four parts of the 

 tub taken possession of by as many other little tyrants, who 

 guard their territories with the strictest vigilance, and any, 

 the slightest invasion brings on invariably a battle. As may 

 be expected they usually fight best on their own ground, and 

 the invader is generally repelled; but when the contrary occurs 

 the victor adds the defeated party's possession to his own. A 

 strange alteration takes place almost immediately in the defeated 

 party; his gallant bearing forsakes him; his gay colours fade 

 away; he becomes again speckled and ugly; and he hides his 

 disgrace among his peaceable companions, who occupy together 

 that part of the tub which their tyrants have not possession 

 of; he is, moreover, for some time the constant object of his 

 conqueror's persecution. It is scarcely necessary to observe 

 that these are the habits of the male fish alone; the females 



