78 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



Genus GASTEEOSTF.US *. 



THE ROUGH-TAILED STICKLEBACK. 



{Gasterosteus trachurusf.) 



The characteristics common to the Stickleback genuSj of 

 which we have in this country six species, are — the body 

 generally scaleless, and more or less plated or mailed on 

 the sides ; one back-fin, with simple or free spines before 

 it ; the ventral fins with one strong spine and one ray ; 

 the bones of the pelvis pointed behind, forming a cuirass ; 

 the swimming-bladder simple ; and the branchiostegous or 

 gill-rays three. 



In order to save space and avoid repetition, I shall here 

 give a short account of the habits and characteristics of 

 the Sticklebacks generally, so far as they are common to 

 the several species, appending, under the head of each indi- 

 vidual fish, only such peculiarities as may serve to distin- 

 guish it from its congeners. 



Though small and apparently insignificant, the Gas- 



* Gasterosteus, the Gr. name for the Stickleback — literally 'bony- 

 bellied' — from gaster, the belly, and osteon, a bone. 



t trachunts, ' rough-tailed,' from trachys, rough, and oura, the tail, Gr. 



