132 ANECDOTES OF FISHES 



Mr. H. Baker informs us, in the Philosophical 

 Transactions, that this little fish (stickleback) 

 will occasionally spring to the height of a foot 

 out of the water to get over stones and other 

 obstacles. Mr. Baker kept one for some time, 

 which, in five hours did devour seventy -four 

 young dace about a quarter of an inch long, and 

 of the thickness of a horse-hair. 



Mr. Aderon confined a stickleback in a glass 

 jar, with sand at the bottom ; at first it would 

 not eat, but afterwards it ate out of the hand, 

 A small fish was put in, which the stickleback 

 instantly devoured, and, when satiated with food, 

 it would fly at the hand that fed it. 



Phil. Transact. 



Sticklebacks are active in their movements, 

 and extremely pugnacious. A writer in the 

 Magazine of Natural History, has described 

 their behaviour, under confinement, in a large 

 wooden vessel ; at first they swam about in a 

 shoal, suddenly one took possession of one 

 corner of the tub, or of the bottom, and instantly 

 made an attack upon his companion ; whenever 

 they meet with any opposition, a regular battle of 

 the most furious kind ensues, and frequently one 

 kills the other by ripping it up. 



