The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-02
COURTING IN THE SWIM.
How the Sentimental Fish woos and Wins
His Pretty Mate.

His Pretty Mate.
From the ST. James Gazette.
Fish are 'cold-blooded" animals, and this they
bear out in all their domestic relations. This,
however, is not quite universal and the excep-
tions are so few that perhaps they are worth
touching upon. During the spawning time of
last year the present writer watched somewhat
closely the domestic economy of several of our
fresh-water fishes at the most critical period of
their lives, and with interesting results. 1t was
q salmon river which numbers of splendid fish
sought out to spawn in. There was one pair
which selected a ''redd'' on a shallow immedi-
ately beneath an old stone bridge, whence their
proceedings could be observed. The spot was
one where the river was clearest and purest-
where there was bright gravel with an absence
of sediment. AS the she-tish settled to spawn
ing she scooped out hole with her snout in the
shetering gravel and then commenced to lay
her eggs. All this time she was closely attended
by her mate, who indulged in many beautiful
eVolutions and guarded her from host of ene-
mics that were ever on the watch. And how
proud was her lord He gracefully rose and fell
in the water, settling first upon this side, then
upon that, Every movement seemed directed
by the great caudal fin, and every evolution was
as the very poetry of motion. Even in repelling
the hungry trout and hungrier llelts there was Il
quiet dignity in all his movements. Sometimes
the wintry sun would blaze up his FURNISHED
sides as he rose to the surface for a moment
then he would drop quietly down to his mate
He never seemed to feed, and day and night he
never lost sight of his love. 1t was only when
his mate was speared by poacher that he made
off down stream and did not again return
Here Is another actual incident concerning
salmon. Upon one occasion pOacher found
freshly run male salmon watching over a female
the former of which he GATED. Knowing that
a second suitor would soon take the place of the
first, he allowed the she-tish to remain. An
other male attended her, then third and
fourth, she starting down stream each time her
tai hnp .l,,
brought back large yellow trout, and so much
interest did the proceeding excite that for
time the two were left unmolested.
When fish or bird has a number of aliases, 1t
is equivalent to saying that it is dear to the
dwellers of the country. And this is true of
the tiny stickleback, our only nest-building
fresh-water fish In the spring this little fish's
fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love, and he
is ardent in loves as in war. Now his colors be-
come bright and intense, and his under parts
glow with silyery crimson, and his eyes and
cheeks are metallic-hued. The brilliant BLUSH
green lustre of his body has been likened to
the green feathers of a humming-bird and the
whole fish as glowing with internal Brightness
With the light full upon him he is almost trans
parent and now he assumes a Warlike disposi-
ton, indulging in battles fearful and prolonged
In nest-building the stickebacks collect delicate
fibrous materials which they proceed to work
up into a circular mass having hole in the
centre.
The tiny nest takes about twelve hours to
construct, and as it proceeds to completion the
excitement of the little architect becomes in
tense. The resplendent male stickleback
swims round and round, imparting finishing
touch here and there with his snout, hoyering
about the orifice and tanning the water with
his pectoral fins the while. The tiny eggs are
hatched in about a month, and now nothing
can exceed his attention. He is absolutely un-
remitting in his loving watchfulness. He will
fight floating objects with the greatest gal
lantry-eVen to the giving up of his brave little
terrors for him when the lives of his tiny Aut-
tering fry are at stake.