84 THE ANGLEK-NATURALIST. 



the male parent constantly brought the stragglers back 

 within the allotted precincts. 



A good account of the nest-building process has been 

 given by the same author. Several beautiful Smooth- tailed 

 Sticklebacks, male and female, the latter full of spawn, 

 were introduced by him into a miniature pond. The male 

 fishes immediately took up certain positions, each defend- 

 ing his own against all intruders with pertinacity. On the 

 following day, one of the males was industriously employed 

 in building a nest behind a piece of rock-work ; and it 

 was perceived that he had already constructed a small 

 hole as round as a ring, with a broad margin. This spot 

 he guarded with the utmost jealousy, continually starting 

 from his post, and attacking the other fish with extraor- 

 dinary ferocity. To quiet the turmoil, Mr. Warington 

 netted the pugnacious fish ; but no sooner was it removed 

 from the water than the other Sticklebacks darted to the 

 spot, and pulling out a mass of eggs, devoured them before 

 their defender could be replaced in the vivarium. 



During the nesting- and spawning- season the male fish 

 is beautiful beyond description — the eye of a resplendent 

 green with metallic lustre, the lower part of the throat and 

 body bright crimson, and the back ash-green, the colours 

 glowing as if lighted up by an internal heat. The males 

 are generally distinguishable from the females by the pink 

 colour of the belly ; in the latter the back is green, and 

 the cheeks, flanks, and belly silvery white ; both sexes, how- 

 ever, are more brilliant in the spawning-season. 



