Volume 1

The history of British fishes / [Robert Hamilton].

  • Hamilton, Robert, M.D.
Date:
[1876]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of British fishes / [Robert Hamilton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    stnict a nest in some spot abounding with sea-weed, which they afterwards cover with the roots of algae and zostcra. Here the males remain and await tlie females, who successively arrive to dejicsit their fgg't; these, after fecundation, are taken care of by the males, who exhibit much diligence and courage in preserving and defending them. This is probably the jihycis of the ancients, the only fish within their knowlcdcre which was in the habit of con- structing a nest. Another striking instance of this nest-building is sup]>licd by Dr. Hancock, regarding two s})ecies of the Si/urkLv family, the third of Cuvier's Abodmen- ales, as occurring in the waters of Dcmerara. The native name of these fish is Hussar; and both spe- cies, it is remarked, form a regular nest, in which they lay their eggs, in a flattened cluster, and cover them over most carefully. The one species con- stnicts its nest of grass, the other of leaves; both, at certain seasons, burrow in the banks and lay their oggs, especially in wet weather. “ I have been surprised,” says Dr. Hancock, “ to observe the sud- den appearance of numerous nests in a morning after rain occurs, the spot being indicated by a mass of froth which appears on the surface of the water over the nest; under this are the eggs placed on a bunch of fallen leaves, or of grass, which tliey con- trive to cut and collect together.” One other in- stance we adduce, namely, that of the well-known Ooramy, Orph) onemus olfax^ belonging to the lOtK family of osseous fishes, resting on the testimony of