AQUAXIUM. 



important offices to perform. Presently, in the course of a 

 few days, if you watch him and are fortunate, you will see this 

 wonderful little fish engaged, in the most useftil manner, in 

 building a nest. He seizes hold of one little bit of weed, then 

 of another, and carries them all to some safe comer, till at last 

 his nest is built. Having done this, he gently allures his 

 mate to their new-made home. Here she deposits her eggs, 

 and having done this, resigns the care of them to our hero of 

 the purple and gold, who watches over them with an anxiety 

 that no male in creation but the male stickleback seems to 

 know. He fans and fi-eshens the water with his fins, and at 

 last, when the young are hatched, watches over their attempts 

 at swimming with the greatest <uixiety." 



What can be prettier than this ? What fish could be more 

 desirable for the aquarium than the noble, chivalrous, tender- 

 hearted stickleback P Alas ! even his fast friend. Dr. Lankester, 

 is compelled to admit that, despite all his excellent qualities, 

 there is " something about him " that renders him a decidedly 

 unpleasant companion to other little fish. " I have asserted 

 that he is a royal fish," continues the Doctor, " and you will 

 soon discover that he will hear no rivals. No sooner is he 

 fairly free in your aquavivarium than he commences his reign 

 — not always, I must confess, of the mildest sovereignty. 

 The chances are, if you put him with fishes of his own size, 

 you will find them all dead in the morning. Sad spectacle ! 

 disembowelled by the use of our pet's spines upon his neigh- 

 bours' stomachs, their eyes picked out as delicate morsels for 

 his morning meal." 



After this the reader will experience no difficulty in deciding 

 whether or no the stickleback shall be admitted a member of 

 the tank. At the same time there can be little doubt that a 

 vase of the pngnacious little fish, with some plants, and just 

 a few snails to keep the house tidy, would afiford considerable 

 amusement. 



Among the Carp family — from Cyprmus awraUis, the golden- 

 mailed, to Oyprimos cwrpio, the vulgar European carp — may be 

 found fit subjects for the aquarium. They are the least nume- 

 rous of fish, and stipulate only for a quiet life and plenty of 

 vegetable food. The gold fish, which is a carp of Chinese 

 origin, was, according to Tennant, introduced to this country 

 at the end of the seventeenth century, and is now completely 

 naturalized both here and in other parts of Europe. Most of 

 the gold fish brought to the English market come from Portugal, 



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