PISHES. 337 



this season rather brighter in color than the females.^ The 

 colors of the pike (Esox reticulatus) of the United States, especi- 

 ally of the male, become, during the breeding-season, exceedingly 

 intense, brilliant, and iridescent.^* Another striking instance out 

 of many is afforded by the male stickleback (Gasterosteus leiu- 

 rus), which is described by Mr. Warington,^ as being then "beau- 

 "tiful beyond description." The back and eyes of the female are 

 simply brown, and the belly white. The eyes of the male, on 

 the other hand, are "of the most splendid green, having a metallic 

 "luster like the green feathers of some humming-birds. The 

 "throat and belly are of a bright crimson, the back of an ashy- 

 "green, and the whole fish appears as though it were somewhat 

 "translucent and glowed with an internal incandescence." After 

 the breeding-season these colors all change, the throat and belly 

 become of a paler red, the back more green, and the glowing tints 

 subside. 



With respect to the courtship of fishes, other cases have been 

 observed since the first edition of this book appeared, besides that 

 already given of the stickleback. Mr. W. S. Kent says that the 

 male of the Labrus mixtus, which, as we have seen, differs in 

 color from the female, makes "a deep hollow in the sand of the 

 "tank, and then endeavors in the most persuasive manner to in- 

 "duce a female of the same species to share it with him, swim- 

 "ming backwards and forwards between her and the completed 

 "nest, and plainly exhibiting the greatest anxiety for her to fol- 

 "low." The males of the Cantharus lineatus become, during the 

 breeding-season, of deep leaden-black; they then retire from 

 the shoal, and excavate a hollow as a nest. "Each male now 

 "mounts vigilant guard over his respective hollow, and vigor- 

 "ously attacks and drives away any other fish of the same sex. 

 "Towards his companions of the opposite sex his conduct is far 

 "different; many of the latter are now distended with spawn, and 

 "these he endeavors by all the means in his power to lure singly 

 "to his prepared hollow, and there to deposit the myriad ova witn 

 "which they are laden, which he then protects and guards with 

 "the greatest care."^" 



A more striking case of courtship, as well as of display, by the 

 males of a Chinese Macropus has been given by M. Carbonnier, 

 who carefully observed these fishes under confinement.^' Tbe 

 males are most beautifully colored, more so than the females. 

 During the breeding-season they contend for the possession of 



2= W. Thompson, in 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. History,' vol. vi. 1841, 

 p. 440. 

 -* 'The American Agriculturist,' 1868, p. 100. 

 2= 'Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist.' Oct. 1852. 

 2« -Nature,' May, 1873, p. 25. 

 « 'Bull, de la Soo. d'Acclimat.' Paris, July, 1869, and Jan. 1870. 



