COMMON STURGEON. 477 



and it is said that the Sturgeon was exclusively reserved for 

 the table of Henry the First of England. 



On our southern coast, Colonel Montagu mentions one 

 taken in the estuary at Kingsbridge ; and Mr. Couch enu- 

 merates three instances at different periods of different years ; 

 one in the Tamar in June, one at Plymouth in August, and 

 one near the Eddystone in January. In September 1802, 

 a specimen, eight feet long, and weighing one hundred and 

 ninety-two pounds, was caught in a weir below the castle at 

 Shrewsbury. The largest specimen taken in this country 

 is probably the fish recorded by Pennant, which was caught 

 in the Esk, and weighed four hundred and sixty pounds. 



In Ireland the Sturgeon has been taken on the south, the 

 east, and the north coasts. 



In the northern parts of Europe this fish is much more 

 numerous than with us, and extensive fisheries are established 

 for its destruction. Caviare is made of the roe of the female ; 

 isinglass is obtained from the dense membrane forming the 

 air-bladder ; and the flesh, besides being preserved by salting 

 and pickling, is in request for the table while fresh, being 

 generally stewed with rich gravy, and the flavour considered 

 to be like that of veal. The flesh, like that of most of the 

 cartilaginous fishes, is more firm and compact than is usual 

 among those of the osseous families. 



The Sturgeon, as has been before observed, is oviparous, 

 spawning in winter. It has been frequently remarked that 

 Sturgeons of very small size are seldom seen : by the kindness 

 of Mr. George Daniell, however, I possess a small specimen, 

 only twelve inches long, that is quite perfect, and exhibits 

 all the characters of the mature fish. " It is presumed that 

 the young, as soon as they escape from the eggs, which the 

 female deposits in fresh water, descend immediately to the 

 sea, and do not visit the places of their birth again till they 

 conic in their turn to deposit their spawn." The Sturgeon 



