vi INTRODUCTION. 



concealment, and in connection with their breeding seasons ; 

 the nest-forming propensities and parental solicitude often 

 displayed in the protection of the eggs and young, usually 

 by the male fish, are all matters of high interest both to 

 the biologist and general reader, that can be studied 

 successfully in connection only with living examples accli- 

 matised in aquaria. Many original observations in this 

 direction, made by the author during the times he held the 

 position of Naturalist and Curator to the several large 

 public aquaria of Brighton, Manchester, Great Yarmouth, 

 and Westminster, and for the most part previously recorded 

 in the columns of 'Nature,' the 'Field,' and the official 

 guide-books written by him for the above-named institutions, 

 have been accordingly embodied in these pages. In this 

 connection attention may be more particularly directed to the 

 accounts here given of the Red Mullet, p. 12, the Black 

 Bream, p. 14, the Angler, p. 25, the Dragonet, p. 50, the 

 Smooth Blenny, p. 59, Whitebait, p. 93, and the Sea 

 Horses, p. 100. In such manner it is anticipated that 

 this little handbook will be found a useful guide to the 

 numerous visitors interested in that highly popular section 

 of the Exhibition buildings, the Aquarium Corridor, flank- 

 ing the west side of the Horticultural Gardens, and which 

 it is hereafter proposed to retain as a permanent and highly 

 important adjunct of the Science and Art Department. 

 With the assistance of this handbook they will have an 

 opportunity of identifying the various fish exhibited, and of 

 comparing and verifying the descriptions here given of their 

 more remarkable habits and peculiarities. To facilitate 

 such reference and comparison the index at the end of this 

 book will be found to include all the names of the various 

 fishes living in the Aquarium, and whose titles are affixed 

 on tablets at the sides of the tanks. 



