68 



THE FISU FOR THE 



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 fish of his own 

 size, you will find them all dead in the morning. Sad 

 spectacles ! disembowelled by the use of our pet's spines 

 upon his neighbor's stomachs — their eyes picked out as 

 delicate morsels for his morning meal. This, therefore, 

 must be a warning to you ; and if you have but one jar, 

 and wish to keep sticklebacks, you will probably not have 

 an opportunity of keeping any other fish, of his own size 

 at least. 



"But he will repay you for his disposition. lie has all 

 the ways of other fishes, and many more besides. Look 

 into your tank — see, there is one larger than the rest ; 

 he is clothed in a coat of mail, like a knight of old, 

 and it is resplendent with purple and gold. See how his 

 eyes glisten, and with every movement present a new 

 color. He is a male fish, the king of your little shoal. 

 He has important offices to perform. Presently, in the 

 course of. a few days, if you watch him, and are fortu- 

 nate, you will see this wonderful little fish engaged in the 

 most useful manner in building a nest. He first seizes 

 hold of one little bit of weed, then of another, and car- 

 ries them all to some safe corner, 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 other male in creation but the male 

 stickleback seems to know. lie fans and freshens the 



