5g 
to his chamber than a few hippocampuses in a basin 
of sea water. ‘Their graceful horse-like forms, 
their active movements, their vigorous flexibility, 
their constant tendency to caress cach other by 
folding themselves on one another, and twining 
together, are actions so unlike those that charaterize 
fishes, that they are at once novel and amusing pets. 
The most graphic description I have met with in 
my reading of the habits of these fishes is contained 
in a communication of Mr Lukis of Guernsey ; it 
will be found in the second volume of Yarrel’s 
British Fishes, at Lophobranchii: Syngnathide, 
describing the short-nosed hippocampus—hippo- 
campus brevirostris. When he wrote, a pair had 
been living twelve days in a glass-vessel— “an 
appearance of search for a resting place induced 
me, he says, ‘‘ to consult their wishes by placing 
sea-weed and straws in the vessel:—the desired 
effect was obtained, and has afforded me much te 
reflect upon in their habits. They now exhibit many 
of their peculiarities, and few subjects of the deep 
have displayed, in prison more sport or more intel- 
ligence. When swimming about they maintain a 
vertical position, but the tail is ready to grasp what - 
ever meets it in the water, quickly entwines in any~ 
direction round the weeds, and when fixed, the 
animal intently watches the surrounding objects, and 
darts at its prey with great dexterity. When both 
approach each other, they often twist their tails 
together, and struggle to separate, or attach them- 
selves to the weeds ; this is done by the under part 
of their cheek or chin, which is also used for raising 
