LESSER WEEVER. 



ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



PERCIDM. 



LESSER WEEVER, OTTER-PIKE, STING-FISH. 



Trachiniis vipera, Cuv. et VALENC. Hist. Nat. des Poiss. t. iii. p. 254. 



,, draco, Common Weever, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 226, pi. 32. 



DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 23. 



,, ,, ,, FI.EM. Brit. An. p. 213, sp. 145. 



THE LESSER WEEVER is more frequently met with on 

 different parts of our coast than the Greater Weever ; it occurs 

 also in the bays of Dublin and Belfast, and being much 

 smaller and quicker in its motions, is even more difficult to 

 handle with security. In its habits it is active and subtle, 

 burying itself in the loose soil at the bottom of the water, 

 the head only being exposed ; it thus waits for its prey 

 aquatic insects, or minute crustaceous animals which the 

 ascending position of its mouth enables it to seize with cer- 

 tainty. If trod upon or only touched while thus on the 

 watch, it strikes with force either upwards or sideways ; and 

 Pennant states, that he had seen it direct its blows with as 



