THE VENOMS. 95 



Fish-poisons.* — Very little accurate knowledge 

 is extant regarding these. Many fish are poison- 

 ous, and among them are the synanceia, found in 

 the Indian Ocean between the Netherland Isles and 

 New Caledonia; considerable numbers are found 

 in the neighborhood of the latter locality. These 

 fish are provided with spiny rays which are in direct 

 communication with a poisonous system having its 

 seat in the dorsal fin. The prick of one of the 

 spiny rays of this fish may under certain circum- 

 stances result fatally, and in every case it causes a 

 rapid and painful gangrene. 



From the reservoir the poison is conducted to 

 the sharp extremity of the spines by a deep channel 

 with which each spiny ray is provided; the animal 

 has 26 poison-sacs, two for each ray, and the sacs 

 burst when the corresponding sting is in any man- 

 ner compressed. 



The poison is an odorless liquid having a slight 

 styptic or acidulous taste, and exhibiting a bluish 

 fluorescence ; it rapidly becomes turbid. 



The weevers, which are numerous on the shores 

 of the Mediterranean Sea, and which are also met 

 with in the northeastern portion of the Atlantic 

 Ocean, are likewise very dangerous, which explains 

 their poptilar names " viper- weever, " " spider- 



* Bofford: Thhe de doctorat en M^decine — Les Poissons 

 venimeux, Paris, 1889; O. Arcos: Thhe de doctorat — Essais 

 sur les accidents causes par les poissons venimeux, Paris, 1887. 



