of the Lesser Weever-fish. 165 
the pulpy sheath of the spine; but this, too, is nothing more 
than conjecture. | 
This little fish is much dreaded by the fishermen on the 
southern coast of Ireland; and an opinion prevails among 
them, that the pain of its sting will last until the tide has 
again arrived at the height at which it stood when the wound 
was inflicted. This opinion, which is altogether incorrect, is 
universally believed by the fishermen of the south of Ireland ; 
and I was surprised to find, from the following passage in 
Willughby’s ‘ Fishes,’ that it is neither confined to any parti- 
cular district, nor of modern origin: “ Dolor ab ictu excitatus 
(ut nobis retulere piscatores) per duodecem horas durat ad- 
modum vehemens, hoc est donec mare novo accessu recessuve 
ad eundem altitudinis modum seu terminum redeat, deinde 
paulatim remittit.” 
Though the Weever is held in particularly bad repute by 
the fishermen, their terror is by no means confined to it, as. 
the different species of Cottus, and some other spiny fishes, 
are not exempted from the imputation of inflicting poisoned 
- wounds ; and many of them are confounded under a common 
unpronounceable Irish name, which may, I believe, be trans- 
lated “ Sting Devil.” These fishes, however, though furnished 
with formidable spines, appear altogether destitute of any 
poisonous qualities. I have frequently, indeed, allowed the 
Cottus Bubalis to inflict deep punctures on my fingers without 
experiencing the slightest unpleasant consequences, beyond 
those of an ordinary puncture ; and it must also be remarked, 
that the spines of Coétus, and of other fishes which I have ex- 
amined, and which are commonly supposed to be venomous, 
are of altogether a different structure from those of Trachinus, 
and not at all adapted for the introduction of virus into the 
wound inflicted by them. 
Believe me, dear Sir, very faithfully yours, 
Geo. JAs. ALLMAN. 
William Thompson, Esq., &c., Belfast. 
EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURE. 
Right opercular spine of Trachinus Vipera, with the sheath removed, 
viewed upon the external surface, and magnified about six times in linear 
extent. 
a, a, a', a'. The grooves in the edges of the spine. 
b, b'. The conical cavities in which the grooves terminate. 
ce, c!. The external walls of the cavities. 
d, d'. The internal walls. 
The parietes of the cavities being transparent, d’ is represented as visible 
through the external wall. 
