Correlates of the duration of the egg collecting phase in the three-spinedstickleback

Individual male three-spined sticklebacks in the field, often collected egg s for longer (up to 10 days) than had been reported for sticklebacks in cap tivity (3-6 days). The probability that a male slopped collecting eggs incr eased with the number of eggs already present, and possibly with the age of the eggs. Males with nests hidden under a plant were more likely to contin ue collecting than males with exposed nests. These results are discussed in the light of theoretical considerations that predict when males should sto p collecting further eggs. (C) 1999 The Fisheries Society of the British Is les.