COMMON STICKLEBACK. 605 



merely of a very strong and serrated spine on each 

 side, accompanied by a single short ray. 



The Banstickle is a fish of an extremely active 

 and vigorous nature, swimming rapidly, and prey- 

 ing on the smaller kind of water insects and worms, 

 as well as on the spawn of other fishes, and is from 

 this circumstance considered as highly prejudicial 

 to fish-ponds. In the Philosophical Transactions 

 we find some observations relative to the natural 

 history of this fish by Mr. Henry Baker, who 

 informs us that it will spring occasionally to the 

 perpendicular height of not less than a foot out of 

 the water, and to a much greater space in an oblique 

 direction, when wishing to get over stones or other 

 obstacles. " It is scarce to be conceived," says 

 this writer, " what damage these little fish do, and 

 how greatly detrimental they are to the increase of 

 all the fish in general among which they live : for 

 it is with the utmost industry, sagacity, and greedi- 

 ness that they seek out and destroy all the young 

 fry that come in their way, which are pursued with 

 the utmost eagerness, and swallowed down without 

 distinction, provided they are not too large : and 

 in proof of this I must assert that a Banstickle which 

 I kept for some time did on the 4th of May devour 

 in five hours time seventy-four young Dace, which 

 were about a quarter of an inch long, and of the 

 thickness of a horse-hair : two days after, it 

 swallowed sixty-two, and would, I am persuaded, 

 have eat as many every day, could I have pro- 

 cured them for it." 



The Stickleback is sometimes observed to swarm 



