68 



ftquatic JLttt 



oring. The movements were sinuous, 

 but quick, possibly to be described as re- 

 sembling peristalsis — not unlike the mo- 

 tions of Betta or Poly acanthus when two 

 "measure up to one another" side by 

 side. The dorsal was flabby but erect, 

 waving with the movement, while the ac- 

 tion of the caudal fin was quickened. A 

 peculiar and conspicuous feature of the 

 play was the rapid, rythmic, alternate 

 backward and forward "clicking" of the 

 ventrals, a feature I have not noticed in 

 any other mating fish. 



This remained the extent of my 

 studies up to December 22d. That day, 

 being Sunday, I was prepared to spend 

 more than the usual time in observation. 

 The result was the discovery of fry in 

 the free-swimming stage. Twenty were 

 counted, some near the nest and others 

 elsewhere. To these the male gave not 

 the slightest attention and, I am glad to 

 add, neither did the others— at that time. 

 Within a week all but one had disap- 

 peared. The fry were quite transparent, 

 with pigmented eyes, and approximately 

 three-sixteenths of an inch long. A few 

 days later a single fry, much smaller and 

 with yolk-sac still unobsorbed, evidently 

 from another brood, was noted trying to 

 rise from the bottom. 



On December 27th it was my good 

 fortune to observe the spawning oper- 

 ation. I had paused before the tank 

 attracted by the antics of the male in the 

 nest best visible, when a female 

 approached quite unostentiously and 

 without the slightest hesitation. When the 

 two met, the play of the male gave way 

 to rapid trembling on the part of both, 

 the male taking a position immediately 

 below the female, his mouth snapping 

 not unlike a person with a chill. Ex- 

 trusion and fertilization took place im- 

 mediately over the nest, the non-ad- 

 hesive eggs falling to the bottom seven 

 inches below. So little were they dis- 



persed in the effort that a half dollar 

 would have covered all. The number was 

 small, probably not more than fifty. 

 Though the female did not seem to be 

 spent, she was quite exhausted, sinking 

 to a decumbent leaf close by, where 

 she rested for more than an hour. The 

 male assumed his position "on guard" 

 and ere long was indulging in another 

 love-play, but spawning was not repeat- 

 ed. From this I am inclined to think 

 polygamy may be practiced in event of 

 more than one gravid female being 

 present. Should this subsequently prove 

 true, we have in the pigmy a most adapt- 

 able species as far as matrimonial 

 affairs are concerned, monogamy, poly- 

 gamy and polyandry being practiced. 

 This spawning occurred at 9.30 A. M., 

 with the water at 72 degrees, Fahren- 

 heit ; weather cloudy. 



On the 31st another spawning was 

 witnessed. This took place on the edge 

 of the nest just below the surface of the 

 water (depth, 11 inches). I was too late 

 for the preliminaries arriving in time 

 to see the legitimate male and an in- 

 truder take a position, side by side, just 

 below the female. The orgasm lasted 

 a number of seconds, the eggs being 

 ejected continuously. The female seem- 

 ed completely spent and immediately 

 swam from view among the plants. Both 

 males guarded the nest and maintained 

 sort of an armed neutrality for several 

 hours, until one none too gently per- 

 suaded the other to depart. But this was 

 decidedly under protest, as it loitered 

 about the outskirts, making an occasional 

 foray into the nest. Time 8 A. M., 

 weather clear and sunny ; temperature 



7 1 - 



The endeavors of the male do not seem 



to extend beyond guarding the site of 

 the nest. At no time, not even when the 

 eggs were entangled among the Algae in 

 plain view, did he evince the slightest in- 



