CONCERNING SMALL FRY. gt 
spawn ; at least by these means a current of water 
was made to set in towards the nest, as was 
evident by the agitation of particles of matter 
attached to it. This fanning, or ventilation, was 
frequently repeated every day until the young 
were hatched, and sometimes the little fellow 
would dive head foremost into his nursery and 
bring out a mouthful of sand, which he would 
carry to some distance and discharge with a puff. 
At the end of a month, the young ones were 
first perceived. The nest was built on the 23rd 
of April, the young appeared first on May atst. 
Unremitting as had been the attention of this 
exemplary parent up to the time of the hatching 
of the eggs, he now redoubled his assiduity. He 
never left the spot either by night or by day, 
and during the daytime he guarded it most pertina- 
ciously, allowing nothing to approach. If any of 
the water animals chanced to come near, he would 
instantly pounce upon them, and unceremoniously 
shove or tumble them over. If a stick or quill 
were passed down from the top of the vessel, he 
struck it fiercely, and with such smartness that 
the blow was distinctly felt by the hand. The 
fry were at first so minute and transparent 
that they were scarcely perceptible, and it was 
only by a slight fluttering motion their position 
could be occasionally discovered, otherwise it was 
