22 
FISHES. 
a-pie. This small savage lay closely concealed 
underneath a bit of black stick whenever the trout 
was in sight ; but the moment he could venture 
out with safety, away he went right into the 
middle of a shoal of infant Minnows, enjoying 
the sunshine in this early period of their ex- 
istence on a little sandbank scarcely covered with 
water; he turned them over right and left, — 
retired and charged, — and charged again, as far 
as I could judge, out of pure mischief, for he 
neither ate nor injured them. The only interval 
of ease enjoyed by these unfortunate infants was 
when Tyrant Trout came to digest what he had 
caught, or to take a short siesta: then Mr. 
Pricklyback lay like a slave in the presence of 
his master, until his turn of indemnity arrived.” 
One of our native fishes, thence called the Vivi^ 
parous Blenny, produces its young alive, and able 
to provide for their own support. But, in general, 
the continuation of the race is effected among fishes 
by means of eggs, called in the aggregate, spawn ; 
and, before it is excluded, roe. It is often de- 
posited in the gravelly beds of rivers, the female 
ploughing up a shallow furrow or trench for its 
reception, either with her muzzle or her tail, and 
then covering it up again. Others deposit their 
spawn in the sandy shallows of the sea, or wind 
it among rocks, or lodge it in bunches of sea- 
weeds. In general, no parental care is displayed 
for the spawn after it has been deposited, but 
there are some interesting exceptions to the rule. 
Pennant states of the River Bullhead, that it 
deposits its spawn in a hole it forms in the gravel, 
and quits it with great reluctance. And this is 
confirmed by a correspondent of Mr. Yarrell, an 
