LESSER WEEVER. 



ACANTHOPTEEYG1L 



PERCID/t;. 



LESSER WEEVER, OTTER-PIKE, STING-FISH. 



Trachinus vipera, Cuv. et VALENC. Hist, des Poiss. t. iii. p. 254. 



,, draco, Common Weever, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 226, pi. 32. 

 ,, ,, ,, ,, DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 23. 



,, ,, ,, ,, FLEM. Brit. An. p. 213, sp. 145. 



,, ,, Little ,, JENYNS, Brit. Vert. p. 336. 



THE LESSER WEEVER is more frequently met with on 

 different parts of our coast than the Greater Weever ; it occurs 

 in the bays of Dublin and Belfast, and is common on all the 

 sandy shores of Scotland ; and being much smaller and quicker 

 in its motions, is even more difficult to handle with security. 

 In its habits it is active and subtle, burying itself in the 

 loose soil at the bottom of the water, the head only being 

 exposed ; it thus waits for its prey aquatic insects, or mi- 

 nute crustaceous animals which the ascending position of 

 its mouth enables it to seize with certainty. If trod upon or 

 only touched while thus on the watch, it strikes with force 

 either upwards or sideways ; and Pennant states, that he had 



