252 



^ .,. STURGEON. 



Ganoidei. Acipenserida. 



{Acipenser sturio.) 



German : Der Oemeine Stor. Norwegian : Storje. Dutch : De Steur. 

 French : L'Esturgeon commun. Italian : Storione. 



There are two kinds of Sturgeons which make their 

 aj)pearance in the fishmongers' shops : the common 

 &im:geoii,Acipenser sturio ; and the broad-nosed sturgeon, 

 Acipenser huso — the former being the most common. 



Of the natural history and habits of the sturgeon 

 really very little is known. They are wandering fish, 

 but yet seem to frequent the mouths of nearly all big 

 European rivers, such as the Thames, Severn, Tay, 

 Ehine, Elbe, Seine, Garonne, Loire, &c. 



STURGEON. 



These fish are of considerable commercial import- 

 ance to many nations. The sturgeon is most admir- 

 ably fitted to his mode of life, about which, however, 

 we know little or nothing. He has a snout like the 

 nose of a mole [that in the engraving is much too long], 

 and he probably uses it in a similar manner as does the 

 mole — that is, for routing up the mud at the bottom of 

 the water and catching the worms. 



Sturgeon do not require any teeth to eat worms, so 

 he has none, but instead a most wonderful mouth, the 

 action of which is telescopic, so that he can shut it 

 quite close, or protrude it to a considerable length. 

 The mechanism by means of wdiich this is done is 



