4260 Fishes. 



some of which I obtained. They measured from five to six inches in length, and 

 were of the thickness of a common writing-quill. — George Harris ; Gamrie, Banff- 

 shire, February, 1854. 



Note on the Anglesea Morris (Leptocephalus Morrisii). — During a storm which oc- 

 curred in the Moray Firth about the middle of April last, no fewer than four specimens 

 of this fish were cast ashore at Pennan, Aberdeenshire. One of these I secured, which 

 was seven inches in length. A slight jag at the base of the tail on the upper sur- 

 face, appeared to have the effect of making the tail point upwards, but it is possible 

 that this may have been the result of an accident at a former stage in the creature's 

 growth. — Id. 



Note on the Twaite Shad (Alosa Sinta). — A very good example of this fish was 

 caught in the Deveron, at Rack Mill, about a mile and a half from the sea, on the 

 2nd of September of last year. — Id. 



Note on the Lesser Weever (Trachinus Vipera). — A very perfect specimen of this 

 little fish was sent me from Pennan, in autumn last. In August, 1852, I received 

 from one of the fishermen of Gardenston a very good example of the great weever. 

 —Id. 



Note on the Great Weever (Trachinus Draco). — This fish measured in length 

 eleven inches. A specimen of one caught some years ago at Macduff, also in 

 this parish, measured twelve inches, while that of the species last referred to, 

 measured only about seven inches in length. Notwithstanding the opinion of 

 my accomplished and esteemed friend the Rev. George Gordon, of Birnie (Zool. 

 3457), as well as that of other authorities, I cannot help being suspicious that 

 there is something venomous in the larger dorsal spines of these animals, par- 

 ticularly in the case of the smaller one ; but whether that may reside within 

 the spine, or exist some way external to it, I do not hazard a conjecture. As the 

 fishermen assert, there is certainly something ugly in the dingy dark of all the parts of 

 the most advanced dorsal; and in addition, they all affirm that a wound from 

 it is regularly followed by severe, and, in some cases, by even alarming symptoms. 

 Such is stated to have happened in the case of the one found at Macduff, and I can 

 bear testimony to similar effects in the cases of the other two here referred to, particu- 

 larly in that of the lesser weever caught at Pennan. The man, upon whose line it was 

 found, in taking it off the hook, was stung by it in the hand, and in less than half-an- 

 hour the whole of the hand was considerably swollen : the swelling went on extending 

 to the wrist, and the two middle fingers, being more in the line of the wound, were more 

 swollen than the others. About an hour thereafter the hand had increased to twice its 

 natural size, when, the doctor having been reached, free scarifications, with other 

 proper means, proved effectual in arresting further morbid progress. The hand healed 

 up perfectly within a reasonable period, and with very little of the character of a dis- 

 charging sore. You will not therefore blame me in saying that T cannot help feeling, 

 from the almost unvarying testimony of those who have had the best opportunities of 

 seeing, as well as those who have experienced the effects of these wounds, together 

 with what I myself have witnessed of them in this locality, that there is good reason 

 for suspecting the existence of a peculiar virtu or venom in the formidable thorny 

 armour of this fish, its in dictions being followed by more rapid and higher inflamma- 

 tory action than is seen to occur after a wound from a spicula of bone, or the spines 

 of most other species of fish, and which appear to be loo uniform to admit of explana- 

 tion on the recognized grounds of diathesis or idiosyncracy of constitution.— Id. 



