26 S 
LIFE, IN ITS HIGHER FORMS. 
In the month of May the male Stickleback, which is 
then adorned with the most brilliant tints — his nuptial 
dress — begins to make a nest. For this purpose he selects 
small woody fibres, rootlets, &c., which he collects one by 
one; and, carrying them to the selected place, inserts 
them into the ground, and skilfully interweaves them, so 
as to form a ring. Now and then he collects minute bits 
of gravel, and brings mouthfuls of sand, all of which he 
lays upon the fibres to keep them steady. Thus a thick 
ring of interlaced materials is at length made, with a hole 
in each of the two opposito sides, through which the fish 
can squeeze himself. Dui’ing the whole time the little 
creature resents the least intrusion on his operations, at- 
tacking his fellow fishes with the utmost fury, and driving 
them to a distance. The houso being ready, the lady is 
invited to take possession; and the following curious 
scene ensues : — 
“ The female fish came out of her hiding-place, her 
attention being fixed apparently on the nest ; when imme- 
diately the male became, as it were, mad with delight. 
He darted round her in every direction, then to his accu- 
mulated materials, slightly adjusted them, fanned them, 
and then back again in an instant. This was repeated 
several times. As she did not advance to the nest, he 
endeavoured to push her in that direction with his snout : 
this not succeeding, he took her by the tail and by the 
side-spine, and tried to pull her to the spot, then back to 
the nest ; and having examined the two small openings 
alluded to, he thrust his nose in at the lower, and gradu- 
ally drew himself under the whole of the materials, making 
