TWO FOPS AMONG THE FISHES. 25 



motion they dart upon their prey. At times one turn's 

 his body sideways and, with a slow, upward-gliding 

 motion, moves toward some object on the surface 

 which is doubtfully "good to eat." He even takes it 

 into his mouth and then, not having faith in*his power 

 to properly digest it, ejects it with force, and turning 

 quickly darts back to the friendly shadow of a bowlder 

 beneath whose sides he has, in time of threatened 

 danger, a safe retreat. 



I throw a grasshopper into the pool. Like a flash 

 six of the sunfish are after it. One reaches it a tenth 

 of a second in advance of the others, and with a light- 

 ning-like gulp, which disturbs the serenity of the 

 surface of the pool, swallows the kicking prey. The 

 energy of the sun's heat and light, stored in grass, 

 transmitted to move muscles in gigantic leaps, will, in 

 a short time, wag a caudal'fin and propel the owner 

 through these watery depths. 



Years are thus doubtless spent by these long-eared 

 sunfish in a dreamy sort of existence, their energies 

 quickened by the vernal .season and growing duller on 

 the approach of winter. Kxcepting the times when 

 they are tempted by a wriggling worm on some boy's 

 hook, theirs is a life exempt from danger. A king- 

 tisher glancing down from his perch on the bent syc- 

 amore limb may, at times, discern them and lessen 

 their ranks; but, methinks, ihe chub minnows, with 

 fewer spines in their dorsal tins, are more agreeable 

 to the kingfisher's palate. With all the tints of the 

 rainbow gleaming from their sides they move to and 

 fro, the brilliant rulers of these quiet pools. 



The king or monarch of those noted was most 



