QUAEEELSOME LITTLE NEST-BUILDERS. 187 



globular masses of gulf weed, filled witli the spawn 

 of the antennarius, and bound together with threads 

 of glutinous matter spun by the mother fish. 



QUARRELSOME LITTLE NEST-BUILDERS. 



HOW THEY PROTECT THEIR YOUNG. 



If the edges of ponds and creeks in most parts of 

 our country are carefully examined during the spring 

 months, numbers of bright, active little fish may be- 

 seen busily engaged in building their nests — for many 

 kinds of fish, as well as birds, build nests. 



Having found a suitable bit of grass or straw, the 

 fish seizes it and fits the tiny fragment in its place, 

 after which it busies itself, for perhaps half a minute, 

 in securing it with a sort of web that the fish can 

 spin, so that it will not be washed away. 



The bottom of the nest is first laid down, then the 

 sides and the top are built, and when it is finished it 

 is so nearly the exact color of the ground at the 

 bottom of the water that it is no easy matter to find 

 it, unless the eggs are visible or the fish itself is at 

 work. The whole structure is a little larger in cir- 

 cumference than a silver quarter of a dollar, and has 

 a top or cover with a small hole in the center where 

 the eggs, which are about the size of poppy-seeds and 

 of a bright yellow color, are placed. This opening 

 is sometimes, but not always, concealed by dragging 

 small fragments over it. 



