1889.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 251 



Acipenser latiroatris Parnell, "Wien. Mem. VII. 405, 1838" (Frith 

 of Forth). 



Acipen&er hospitus Kriiyer, Skand. Fauna, III. 780, 1840. 



Acipenser thompsonsi "Bull. Proc. Roy. Irish. Acad. 21 ; " "Bull. 

 Thompson's Nat. Hist. Ireland, IV. 245,* 1856 " (Ireland). 



Acipenser attilus Gray, Hand-Book Chondropterigean Fish. 13, 

 1831 (England). 



Acipenser yarreUii Dumeril, " Nouv. Arch. Mus. III. 164, 1867." 



Acipenser mitehillii Dumeril, Hist, Poiss. II. 116, 1870 (New 

 York). 



Acipenser kennicottii Dumeril, Hist, Poiss. II. 130, 1870 (James 

 river). 



Acipenser girardi Dumeril, Hist, Poiss. II. 132, 1870 (Mary- 

 land). 



Acipenser macrorhinus Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. II. 133, 1870 (New- 

 York). 



Acipenser megalaspis Dumeril, HJ5t. Poiss. II. 135, 1870 (Lake 

 Champlain). 



Acipenser milberti Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. II. 137, 1870 (New York). 



Acipenser bairdii Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. II. 145, 1870 (Maryland). 



Acipenser storeri Dumeril, Hist, Poiss. II. 147, 1870 (Boston ). 



Acipenser holbrookii Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. II. 149. 1870 (Charles- 

 ton). 



Acipenser lecontei Dumeril, Hist. Poiss. II. 232, 1870 (New 

 York). 



Habitat. — Atlantic ocean, ascending the principal rivers of Europe 

 and North America. 



Etymology. Lat. sturgeon. 



This widely distributed species reaches a length of five to twelve 

 feet and a weight of one to five hundred pounds. In Europe they 

 have been secured of a length of eighteen feet, They spawn in spring 

 and early summer in the lower stretches of rivers. Within the last 

 few years the capture of the sturgeon for smoking and for the 

 manufacture of caviare from its eggs has attained considerable im- 

 portance on the Atlantic coast. 



We have examined three specimens about 12 inches in length 

 from the Potomac river, and one stuffed skin four feet long from 

 Boston. 



A. sturio oxyrhynchus Mitchill, is undoubtedly identical with the 

 European species A. sturio. It differs from it only in having 

 generally fewer lateral plates and somewhat rougher stellate ossifica- 

 tions. But as these characteristics are subject to great variation 

 among all the sturgeons, especially with age, they are not of 

 sufficient importance to be made the basis of classification. 



