78 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



Genus GASTEROSTEUS*. 



THE ROUGH-TAILED STICKLEBACK. 



( Gasterosteus trachurus t.) 



The characteristics common to the Stickleback genus, of 

 which we have in this country six species, are the body 

 generally scaleless, and more or less plated or mailed on 

 the sides ; one back-fin, with simple or free spines before 

 it ; the ventral fins with one strong spine and one ray ; 

 the bones of the pelvis pointed behind, forming a cuirass ; 

 the swimming-bladder simple ; and the branchiostegous or 

 gill-rays three. 



In order to save space and avoid repetition, I shall here 

 give a short account of the habits and characteristics of 

 the Sticklebacks generally, so far as they are common to 

 the several species, appending, under the head of each indi- 

 vidual fish, only such peculiarities as may serve to distin- 

 guish it from its congeners. 



Though small and apparently insignificant, the Gas- 



* Gasterosteus, the Gr. name for the Stickleback literally 'bony- 

 bellied' from gaster, the belly, and osteon, a bone. 



t trachurus, ' rough-tailed,' from trachys, rough, and owa,the tail, Gr. 



