all proportion can ever become fishes, for
beside being the constant prey of birds and fishes, a great many nests are
made so near the shore, in shallow water, that they are left dry in a few
days, as the river goes down. These and the lampreys are the only fishes'
nests that I have observed, though the ova of some species may be seen
floating on the surface. The sunfish are so careful of their charge that
you may stand close by in the water and examine them at your leisure. I
have thus stood over them half an hour at a time, and stroked them
familiarly without frightening them, suffering them to nibble my fingers
harmlessly, and seen them erect their dorsal fins in anger when my hand
approached their ova, and have even taken them gently out of the water
with my hand; though this cannot be accomplished by a sudden movement,
however dexterous, for instant warning is conveyed to them through their
denser element, but only by letting the fingers gradually close about them
as they are poised over the palm, and with the utmost gentleness raising
them slowly to the surface. Though stationary, they kept up a constant
sculling or waving motion with their fins, which is exceedingly graceful,
and expressive of their humble happiness; for unlike ours, the element in
which they live is a stream which must be constantly resisted. From time
to time they nibble the weeds at the bottom or overhanging their nests, or
dart after a fly or worm. The dorsal fin, besides answering the purpose of
a keel, with the anal, serves to keep the fish upright, for in shallow
water, where this is not covered, they fall on their sides. As you stand
thus stooping over the sunfish in its nest, the edges of the dorsal and
caudal fins have a singular dusty golden reflection, and its eyes, which
stand out from the head, are transparent and colourless. Seen in its
native element, it is a very beautiful and compact fish, perfect in all
its parts, and looks like a brilliant coin fresh from the mint. It is a
perfect jewel of the river, the green, red, coppery, and golden
reflections of its mottled sides being the concentration of such rays as
struggle through the floating pads and flowers to the sandy bottom, and in
harmony with the sunlit brown and yellow pebbles."

When the cold days of winter come and the ice begins to close over the
pond, the sunfish become sluggish and keep near the bottom,
half-hibernating but not unwilling to snap at any bit of food which m