172 
THREE-SPINED STICKLEBACK. 
part of the summer months, and paid close attention to their 
habits, I am enabled, from my own experience, to vouch for 
the facts I am about to relate. I have generally kept them 
in a deal tub, about three feet long, two feet wide, and about 
two feet deep. When they are put in, for some time (pro- 
bably a day or two) they swim about in a shoal, apparently 
exploring their new habitation. Suddenly one will take pos- 
session of the tub, or, as it will sometimes happen, the bottom, 
and will instantly commence an attack upon his companions; 
and, if any one of them ventures to oppose his sway, a regular 
and most furious battle ensues; they swim round and round 
with the greatest rapidity, biting, (their mouths being well 
furnished with teeth,) and endeavouring to pierce each other 
with their lateral spines, which, on these occasions, are projected. 
I have witnessed a battle of this sort, which lasted several 
minutes before either would give way; and when one does 
submit, imagination can hardly conceive the vindictive fury of 
the conq^ueror, who, in the most persevering and unrelentive 
way, chases his rival from one point of the tub to another, 
until fairly exhausted with fatigue. From this period an 
interesting change takes place in the conqueror, who, from 
being a speckled and greenish-looking fish, assumes the most 
beautiful colours; the belly and lower jaws becoming a deep 
crimson, and the back sometimes a cream-colour, but generally 
a fine green, and the whole appearance full of animation and 
spirit. I have occasionally known three or four parts of the 
tub taken possession of by as many other little tyrants, who 
guard their territories with the strictest vigilance, and any, 
the slightest invasion brings on invariably a battle. As may 
be expected they usually light best on their own ground, and 
the invader is generally repelled; but when the contrary occurs 
the victor adds the defeated party’s possession to his own. A 
strange alteration takes place almost immediately in the defeated 
party; his gallant bearing forsakes him; his gay colours fade 
away; he becomes again speckled and ugly; and he hides his 
disgrace among his peaceable companions, who occupy together 
that part of the tub which their tyrants have not possession 
of; he is, moreover, for some time the constant object of his 
conqueror’s persecution. It is scarcely necessary to observe 
that these are the habits of the male fish alone; the females 
