100 ANGLING. 



very frequent in all the fresh waters of Europe. 

 Gesner, indeed, alleged that they did not occur 

 in Switzerland, but the contrary has long been 

 ascertained. Our most common species is G. 

 acideatus, Penn. (G. leiurus, Cuv. Yar.) distin- 

 guished from several of its congeners by the late- 

 ral plates not extending beyond the second dorsal 

 spine, the remainder of the side being smooth and 

 soft. There are six or seven British species (some 

 of them barely distinguishable from each other), 

 all of which occur in Scotland. They are angled 

 for by young people with a small red worm, and 

 when taken uninjured, are easily tamed. Their 

 usual colours are green above, and of a silvery hue 

 below, but towards the breeding season the males 

 especially assume upon the under parts a brilliant 

 scarlet. They are very voracious for their size, 

 and commit great damage in fish ponds by de- 

 vouring the unconscious spawn, or the defenceless 

 fry. G. pungitivus, commonly called the smaller 

 or ten-spined stickle-back, is the least of all our 

 fresh water fishes. In common, however, with a 

 more truly marine species (G. spinochia, Linn.), 

 it is also found in the sea. The salt water kind 

 just alluded to is a larger and more elongated 

 species, measuring above half a foot in length, and 

 commonly called the fifteen-spined stickle-back. It 

 is sometimes named the Sea-adder, probably from 

 its lengthened snake-like aspect, and is not uncom- 

 mon on the Scottish shores. We have taken it 

 while dredging in that long sea basin called the 

 Cromarty Firth. Mr. Couch transferred a speci- 



