116 



It is the Lesser Weever j 1 a name corrupted from the 

 French, who call it Vive, from the length of time 

 which the fish will live out of its native element. It 

 also bears the names of sting-fish, sting-bull, and sea- 

 cat, among English fishermen; on the shores of the 

 Mediterranean it bears the title of spider, and the 

 ancient Romans called it sea-dragon. The specific 

 names, vipera and draco, viper and dragon which 

 are appropriated to this species and another which is 

 nearly allied to it, make up an extensive list of aliases, 

 all combining to give this pretty little fish a thoroughly 

 bad reputation. All these titles point to a habit and 

 a power possessed by it of inflicting severe wounds, 

 which without doubt are of a highly inflammatory 

 character, and are slow and difficult to cure. These 

 are effected by the rays of the first dorsal fin, which, 

 as we have just seen, are erected and spread in a way 

 which indicates a perfect consciousness of their power, 

 and by certain spines, long and acute, set on the gill-- 

 covers, one on each, pointing backward. These all 

 are of needle-like sharpness, and are wielded most 

 effectively. Yarrell tells us that if trod upon, or only 

 touched, while on the watch, nearly buried in the sand 

 at the bottom of the water, it strikes with force either 

 upwards or sideways ; and Pennant says that he had seen 



i Trachinus mpera, represented by the lower figure in Plate xm. 



