292 CHONDROPTERYGII. STL'RGEON FAMILY. 



species are not very satisfactorily known, and it ia 

 conjectured that at least another may exist besides 

 the two named above. They are numerous in other 

 seas, and A. husa and A. rnthenus^ the former a 

 Yiuch larger, and the latter a much smaller species 

 Aan our own, are of great value to the inhabitants 

 of Northern and Eastern Europe, almost every por- 

 tion of the body being turned to economical use — 

 the flesh as food, the roe prepared and dried under 

 the name of Caviare for the same purpose, the 

 air-bladder as isinglass, from which we have the 

 jelly called blanc-mange, the court-plaster of the 

 shops, besides other useful preparations. Sturgeons 

 seek their food chiefly among the mud at the bottom 

 of rivers, and their head is admirably adapted for 

 the purpose. The elongated snout, protected by 

 broad plates, ploughs up the mud, as a hog does 

 the ground ; and it is probably from this habit they 

 get the name of Sturgeons, from the German stor-'r 

 or stoer which signifies to dig the mud. A little 

 way behind the point of the snout and on the un- 

 derside is placed a series of worm-like cirri, or 

 feelers, the office of which no doubt is to examine 

 the objects turned up by the snout ; a little behind 

 these comes the sucker-like mouth, ready to receive 

 what is thus provided for it. 



(Sp. 214.) A. sturio. Common Sturgeon. This 

 may be considered a species of middle size, varying 

 from six to upwards of eight feet. It is seldom, if 

 ever, found in any plenty in this country, but is at 

 times obtained in various localities, and often finds 



