﻿216 
  

  

  THE 
  VERTEBEATE 
  FAUNA 
  OF 
  " 
  DEE." 
  

  

  Family 
  TRACHINIDJE, 
  Bisso. 
  

  

  Genus 
  TRACHINUS, 
  Cuvier. 
  

  

  Trachinus 
  draco, 
  Linn. 
  The 
  Great 
  Weiver. 
  

   "Muckle 
  Stanger." 
  

  

  Not 
  included 
  in 
  Parnell's 
  list 
  for 
  the 
  Firth 
  of 
  Forth, 
  nor 
  

   by 
  Arbuthnot 
  for 
  Peterhead. 
  

  

  "A 
  single 
  specimen 
  of 
  this 
  fish 
  has 
  been 
  recorded." 
  (W., 
  

   " 
  Contributions 
  to 
  the 
  Ichthyology 
  of 
  Banffshire," 
  in 
  the 
  

   Naturalist, 
  vol. 
  v., 
  p. 
  207, 
  1855.) 
  

  

  " 
  This 
  species 
  is 
  of 
  rare 
  occurrence 
  with 
  us." 
  (Edward.) 
  

  

  This 
  is, 
  however, 
  a 
  fairly 
  common 
  species 
  all 
  along 
  the 
  

   east 
  coast, 
  frequenting 
  deep 
  water, 
  from 
  which 
  it 
  is 
  brought 
  

   both 
  by 
  line 
  and 
  trawl. 
  

  

  Trachinus 
  vipera, 
  Cuv. 
  Lesser 
  Weiver. 
  "Stanger." 
  

  

  Not 
  noticed 
  by 
  Arbuthnot 
  at 
  Peterhead. 
  

  

  " 
  Not 
  abundant 
  ; 
  one 
  was 
  procured 
  a 
  few 
  years 
  ago 
  

   entangled 
  in 
  the 
  salmon 
  nets 
  near 
  Banff." 
  (" 
  Contributions 
  

   to 
  the 
  Ichthyology 
  of 
  Banffshire," 
  by 
  W., 
  The 
  Naturalist, 
  p. 
  

   230, 
  1854.) 
  " 
  It 
  has 
  been 
  met 
  with 
  in 
  the 
  mouth 
  of 
  the 
  Tay, 
  

   but 
  very 
  seldom 
  seen 
  in 
  the 
  Firth 
  of 
  Forth." 
  (Parnell.) 
  

   " 
  Specimens 
  of 
  the 
  Little 
  Weiver 
  are 
  not 
  infrequently 
  met 
  

   with." 
  (Edward.) 
  "Found 
  along 
  the 
  sandy 
  shores 
  of 
  the 
  

   east 
  coast; 
  taken 
  by 
  the 
  seine-net 
  at 
  Little 
  Ferry." 
  (Fauna 
  

   of 
  Sutherland, 
  1887.) 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  an 
  abundant 
  species, 
  frequenting 
  sandy 
  bays, 
  where 
  

   it 
  is 
  a 
  source 
  of 
  fear 
  and 
  trouble 
  to 
  fisherwomen 
  while 
  fishing 
  

   for 
  sand-eels. 
  While 
  thus 
  occupied, 
  they 
  frequently 
  trample 
  

   upon 
  the 
  Weiver, 
  and 
  consequently 
  get 
  wounded 
  by 
  its 
  sharp 
  

   dorsal 
  spines, 
  causing 
  great 
  swelling, 
  inflammation, 
  and 
  pain. 
  

   The 
  fisherfolk 
  generally 
  have 
  the 
  opinion 
  that 
  if 
  stung 
  with 
  

   the 
  Weiver 
  when 
  the 
  tide 
  is 
  at 
  its 
  height, 
  the 
  pain 
  will 
  not 
  

   abate 
  until 
  the 
  tide 
  is 
  again 
  at 
  its 
  lowest 
  ; 
  or 
  if 
  stung 
  when 
  

   the 
  tide 
  is 
  low, 
  they 
  will 
  have 
  to 
  suffer 
  until 
  high-water 
  is 
  

   reached 
  ; 
  but 
  whenever 
  wounded, 
  six 
  hours 
  must 
  elapse 
  before 
  

   they 
  can 
  hope 
  for 
  relief. 
  The 
  Weiver 
  is 
  often 
  cast 
  upon 
  the 
  

   beach 
  after 
  winter 
  storms. 
  

  

  