Page "Pern" Paragraph 27

The native dragonet was genetically engineered using advanced high-tech Eridani techniques, such as a mentasynth enhancement, by settlers into the much larger and more intelligent dragons.

Other experiments resulted in the enhanced fire-lizards and the watch-wher ', a stunted, photophobic cousin of the dragon.

Fire-lizards proved compatible with the original dragonets, but the enhanced genetics of the Fire-lizard proved to be a much bigger advantage, and dragonets eventually bred out of existence.

Whers are used in mining and as guards of Holds, and were long thought to be a mistake made by Wind Blossom, the Eridani geneticist who was credited with ( or blamed for ) developing them.

It was later revealed for the readers ' benefit ( in Todd McCaffrey's " Dragonsblood ") that their ' flaws ' were deliberate: they were designed to fight Thread by themselves on the few occasions when it fell at night.

Their infrared eyesight not only allowed them to see Thread but to discern live Thread from Thread that had been frozen by the night atmosphere, and the shorter wingspan was intended to minimize Thread damage.

Unfortunately, this information was kept from the general population and soon lost, and it became customary to chain whers up, which prevented them from playing their intended role in the fight against Thread.

The Watch-wher's role is finally realised in Todd McCaffrey's New Tales of Pern, where they play a critical role in the fight against thread after the creation of a specialised Wherhold.