180 THE STURGEON. 



The first glance at a sturgeon would lead 

 any one accustomed to fish, to decide at once 

 that it must be a ground-feeder : the form and 

 position of the mouth, the lengthened snout, 

 the barbels, the ventral fins so far back, the 

 large size of the pectorals as I have already 

 stated all clearly evidence a habit of grubbing- 

 up food of various kinds near the bottom, and 

 browsing off shelled molluscs adhering to sticks 

 or stones. They also indulge in small fish : 

 eulachon are oily dainties they seem particularly 

 to appreciate; and the Indians say sturgeon are 

 never so fat and good as in 'eulachon time.' 

 Small blame to the sturgeon for appreciating 

 such delicious fish. 



During the time the Fraser and Columbia 

 rivers are rising, and the rise is very rapid, 

 about thirty feet above the winter level, owing to 

 the melting snow, sturgeon are continually leap- 

 ing. As you are paddling quietly along in a canoe, 

 suddenly one of these monsters flings itself into 

 the air many feet above the surface of the water, 

 falling back again with a splash, as though a 

 huge rock had been pitched into the river by some 

 Titan hand. It appears to be only play, as they 

 never leap for insect-food; neither have I ever 

 observed them do it during low- water; perhaps 



