418 BANFFSHIRE FAUNA, APPENDIX. 



TRACHINUS DRACO [The Great Weever]. 



Occasionally fcmnd. The fish is said to be possessed of very 

 poisonous qualities, insomuch that a prick or even a mere scratch 

 from either of the rays (which are hard and spinous) of the first 

 dorsal or back fin, causes the severest pain imaginable. On 

 the continent, where they are more numerous than they are here, 

 and where they are used as an article of food, there is a very 

 stringent law which forbids them being brought to market, or 

 even exposed for sale in any shape whatever, unless these spines 

 are all cut off ; and in order to enforce obedience, parties found 

 transgressing the law are severely punished. 



TEACH INIJS VIPER A [The Little Weever]. 



Specimens of the little weever are not unfrequently met with ; 

 which would seem to indicate that they are more numerous in 

 the Firth than the preceding. 



MULLUS BARBATUS [The Red Surmullet]. 



This and the striped red mullet (M. SURMULETUS) have both 



been obtained, the latter being the most frequent. 

 TKIGLA CUCULUS [TJie Red Gurnard} is pretty frequent ; as is also 

 TRIGLA HIEUNDO [The Sapphirine Gurnard], 



Some splendid specimens of this latter fish are annually brought 

 on shore by our fishermen towards the end of autumn. 



TRIGLA GUBNAEDUS [The Gray Gurnard}. 



This is our commonest gurnard ; and, judging from the numbers 

 taken, must be very numerous. They are known here by the 

 term of 'Crunack.' They are not much esteemed as an article 

 of food, even among the peasants ; and they are, in consequence, 

 seldom brought to market. 



TRIGLA PCECILOPTEEA [The Little Gurnard]. 



Somewhat rare. I remember once taking one from the stomach of 

 a great northern diver, which was shot between Findochtie 

 and Speymouth, in the spring of 1840, and which was sent me 

 for the purpose of being preserved. 



COTTUS SCOEPIUS [The Short-spined Cottus}. 



Pretty frequent. 

 COTTUS BTJBALIS [The Long-spined Cottus}. 



Rather plentiful. I find them in abundance, in pools left by 

 the tide, or beneath stones at low water. Many of them 

 exhibit some most beautiful markings. 

 Corrus QTJADRICOENIS [The Four-horned Cottus}. 



I have never found this species but in the stomachs of other fish ; 

 which leads me to conclude taat they generally inhabit deep 

 water ; or, at least, that they do not come so near the shore as 

 the preceding species. 

 ASPIDOPHORTJS EuROpmrs [The Armed Bullhead], 



This is another stomach species. But I have found these, also, 

 though very sparingly, amongst the rocks at low tide. 



