GREA T BRITAIN. 79 



found on the south and south-west coasts, becoming rare to 

 the north. 



It has been observed to attain to about 7 Ib. weight. 



FAMILY V. STING FISHES (TracfUnukz.). 



Geographical distribution. Cosmopolitan, and but rarely 

 attaining to a large size. 



GENUS I. Weevers (Trachinus). 



Two species of this fish are found in our seas ; the larger 

 or greater weever, and the smaller or viper weever. Wounds 

 inflicted by the spines of the gill-covers, or those in the 

 first dorsal fin, set up intense agony, which lasts for twelve 

 hours, or even more. No specific poison-gland has been 

 detected, but it has been thought that the virus is a secretion 

 or excretion from the mucous surface of the loose skin which 

 covers the spines, or of its pulpy sheath ; such a substance 

 would collect in the grooves, and when these spines penetrated 

 sufficiently deeply into a foreign body, this poisonous excre- 

 tion would be introduced into the inflicted wound. Even 

 the death of the fish does not at once arrest the virulence of 

 its poisonous properties, as pricks from the spines of dead 

 weevers have been observed to occasion poisonous symp- 

 toms. When sea-bathing on sandy coasts or gravelly shores, 

 there is a possibility of the foot of the bather being wounded 

 by one of these fishes if it lives in the vicinity, as such places 

 are its favourite resort, burying itself and leaving merely 

 its head uncovered. Should an unprotected foot be set 

 down near the place inhabited by one of these fishes, it is 

 alarmed and at once strikes against any foreign body with 

 the spines with which its gill-cover is armed, directing its 

 blows with as much judgment as a fighting cock. Many are 

 the instances recorded of injuries inflicted by these fishes, 



