COURTSHIP AND MATING OF FISHES 155 
I should find at the spot, is an acquaintance of quite long stand- 
ing, and is a ‘robin’, ze. a gentleman stickleback, as beautiful 
as he is brave. Now see him turn over and show himself when 
I drop in this little red worm—there, what a gorgeous crimson 
breast, with sides of brightest silver, and back like the sheen 
of a sunset sky, and eyes like points of living light! All this, 
in his efforts to master the poor worm’s wriggling, or to break 
it in two before attempting to swallow. And now that is ac- 
complished, he takes his stand under that dense clump of weed 
[which contains his nest]. And here comes another stickleback, 
Fig. 1114. —Head of Adult Male Salmon (Salvo salar), showing hooked lower jaw 
innocently looking for something to eat, and approaches within 
a foot of that clump of weed. Like a lightning flash the ‘robin’ 
shoots himself at the intruder, and she, a lady stickleback, turns 
one or two somersaults, goes very pale and almost transparent, 
and beats a precipitate retreat. This looks cruel, but he only 
meant to frighten the brazen female who dared to venture so 
near to his domain. See him now. Another ‘robin’ has 
approached, perhaps the husband of the frightened lady. Now 
it is war; now he is ready to be cruel if he can. Before we 
can think, green and crimson and golden lights play madly before 
our eyes; and this brilliant display is all that can be made out 
till it is suddenly resolved into two gorgeous robins, more brilliant 
than ever in their rage, their eyes very balls of fire, their dorsal 
and lateral prickles erect, and red as though touched with fre. 
Only an instant are they quiet, when our older friend renews 
the attack with such ferocity that our later acquaintance deems 
