Country diary 1906: Beware of toxic weever fish on the beach

7 June 1906: Its sting is painful and dangerous but the fish cannot be blamed – why should it be molested? Some of our Manchester lads are camping on the Yorkshire coast, and one of them had a narrow escape from an unpleasant experience. Boy-like, a number of them had been rambling on the beach picking up anything, especially anything alive, and one discovered a small fish lurking in the sand. This with great joy he carried in a bucket round the camp. I called him and looked at the fish, and recognised his captive as one of the poisonous weevers or sting fishes, fortunately the larger and less virulent species. One boy had already been slightly pricked by either the erectile fin on the back or the spike which arms the gills, and his finger was slightly swelled, but no serious harm was done. This little fish is a great trouble to shrimpers; men who have been badly pricked or stung can testify that blood poisoning is rapid and very painful. The fish have a habit of burrowing in the sand, and at times are left above low-water mark; near the mouth of the Tees and Tyne they are rather common, but luckily there is a doctor in camp who is ready to treat any injured boy, and nothing more s