GREAT WEEVER. 25 



having the ventral fins situated before the pectorals, and 

 called jugular. 



Rondeletius believed the fish now called the Great Weever 

 to be the Draco of the ancient naturalists ; and their refer- 

 ences to the injuries effected by the spines of the dorsal fin 

 and operculum of this species, which they also called a Sea- 

 dragon, appear to confirm his opinion. The generic name 

 Trachinus is derived from the Greek, and the fish is called 

 in several languages by a term that signifies a spider, in refer- 

 ence to its supposed venom. 



The English name of Weever or Wiver, according to 

 Merrett, is considered to be derived from the French term 

 for this fish, La Vive ; a name bestowed upon it from the 

 circumstance of its living a long time after it has been taken 

 out of the water ; which latter power, with some other pecu- 

 liarities in the habits of the Weevers, will be again ad- 

 verted to. 



The great Weever generally measures about twelves inches 

 in length, but has been known to attain seventeen inches : 

 . its food is the fry of other fishes, and its flesh is excellent. 

 It swims very near the bottom, is sometimes taken in deep 

 water by the trawl-net, and occasionally with a baited hook 

 attached to deep-sea lines. When caught, it should be 

 handled with great caution. " I have known," says Mr. 

 Couch, " three men wounded successively in the hand by the 

 same fish, and the consequences have been in a few minutes 

 felt as high as the shoulder. Smart friction with oil soon 

 restores the part to health ;" but such is the degree of danger, 

 or apprehension of it rather, arising from wounds inflicted 

 by the spines of the Weevers, that our own fishermen almost 

 invariably cut off the first dorsal fin, and both opercular 

 spines, before they bring them on shore : the French have 

 a police regulation by which their fishermen are directed to 

 cut off the spines before they expose the fish for sale ; and 



