42 



THE NATURALIST. 



This small fish, is perhaps still more interesting from the fact that it is 

 one of those few fishes that are known to make a provision for, and pay some 

 regard to, their young. The male builds a nest for the reception of the spawn, 

 and guards it with the utmost care, attacking all creatures intruding upon its 

 immediate locality ; it is also said to watch over the young for some time 

 after their extrusion from the egg ; I have never been able to witness this 

 interesting sight, though I have kept this lish for a considerable length of 

 time. 



The Gohetus harhatula, or bearded loach belongs to the soft-finned fishes 

 — Malacoi^terygii. It accjuires its English appellative of bearded loach 

 from the tevtacula with which its month is adorned; these are six in number, 

 one at each corner of the mouth, and four before the nose on the upper lip.. 

 These appendages are possessed by many of the Cypriiiidm, to which family 

 this fish belongs. Its ventral fins form a funnel shaped disc which acts as a 

 kind of sucker, by means of which it is enabled to adhere in almost any 

 position to submerged bodies. Its mouth is also peculiar — the jaws being 

 united by a membrane, and toothless ; it is in fact a protrusile tube. It 

 however possesses powerful pharyngeal teeth. 



The method these fish seem to employ in destroying tadpoles is that of 

 crushing them against the rock, and then sucking out the juices of the 

 interior. At other times they draw them into the mouth, and after bruising 

 shoot them forth again. This action they frequently repeat till the creature 

 is destroyed. 



It is a very curious and interesting sight to see one of these creatures 

 struggling with a wriggling worm, striking and splashing about in all direc- 

 tions, in the endeavour to force it down its somewhat narrow gullet. But 

 though these sights are interesting, yet this habit of plunging and splashing 

 is no recommendation to this fish, as a specimen for the aquarium ; as 

 it is constantly disturbing the water, uprooting favourite plants, and ren- 

 dering the aquarium untidy. 



Among their most relentless foes, may be included the members ef the 

 genus Tritm a group of animals belonging to a lizard-like section of Batrachia 

 — the Urodela. The triton, eft, newt, or asker is very destructive to them 

 in their early life ; but is less so as they acquire strength and dexterity. 



Newts are among those unfortunate creatures that suffer through an evil 

 name, one, moreover, which is unjustly placed upon them. They are almost 

 universally believed to be venomous though the readers of "T^e Naturalist* 

 need scarcely be informed that this belief is altogether unfounded ; as they 



