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22. 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 existence 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 Viviparous 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 deposited 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