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cies. I am inclined to think, however, that they have been 

 monstrous specimens of the creature which I have ventured 

 more particularly to bring before your notice, viz., the 

 "Trachinus Draco," or "T. Vipera," as it is sometimes 

 called. This fish is about five or six inches long when full 

 grown, and is much more active and dangerous than the larger 

 species. When irritated, it strikes the object of its wrath 

 either upwards with the dorsal fin or sideways with the oper- 

 cular spine. When the fish is in search of prey, it remains 

 partially buried in the sand or loose soil, the first dorsal fin 

 and the nose only being exposed, and seizes upon minute 

 crustaceans and other small creatures for food with great 

 facility, owing to the ascending position of its mouth. That 

 part of the dorsal fin which is employed as a weapon consists 

 of five long spines, (vide plate "a, fig. \, a a a a a, J the longest 

 being about half or three-quarters of an inch in length, united 

 by a black elastic membrane, in the meshes of which are placed, 

 as the microscope reveals, closely packed pigment cells, granules, 

 and lines of pigmentary matter. Sometimes the fin lies on a 

 level with the back of the fish ; but, when erect, it projects for- 

 wards, so as to form with it an angle of 45 degrees or less ; the 

 second is perpendicular, and the others lean backwards with dif- 

 ferent degrees of obliquity. The membrane, when it approaches 

 the spines, splits and enfolds them, so as to form a complete 

 sheath ; it is highly elastic, and when the muscles which keep 

 them erect are not in action, in the living fish, or when no mecha- 

 nical substitute is provided in the dead, the fin, when stretched, 

 flies back by the resiliency of the membrane alone. The 

 tegumentary membrane completely covers even the points of 

 the spines in the normal condition; but it seldom happens 

 that we see them thus, even in recent, or, indeed, living speci- 

 mens, as the sheath is very loosely attached to the bony struc- 

 ture, one-third, or even the half, of which is commonly exposed, 

 in consequence, I apprehend, of the active use which they 

 make of these weapons during and after capture. The oper- 



