The stone fish resembles in character and habits the death adder. Its
disposition is pacific, it has no forwardness of temper; is never
willing to obtrude itself on notice, trusting to immobility and to its
similitude to the grey rocks and mud and brown alga to escape detection.
Unless it is actually handled or inadvertently trodden upon, it is as
innocent and as harmless as a canary. Why then should it be furnished
with such dreadful weapons of offence? A full dozen of the keenest of
spines, all in a row, extend from the depression at the back of the head
towards the tail, each spine hidden in a jagged and uneven fringe,
which, when the fish is in its natural element, can scarcely be
distinguished from seaweed. Not until the warty ghoul acquires the
sagacity which accompanies ripe age and experience, does it encourage
deceptive plumes of innocent algae to anchor themselves to its back.
Then it is that detection is beyond ordinary skill, and its presence
fraught with danger. In a specimen 8 inches long, the first spine,
counting from the head, can be exposed half an inch, the second and
chief fully three-quarters, and the remainder graduate from half to a
quarter of an inch.
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