414 THE FHESH-WATEK FISHES OF ET'ROPE 



In earlier clays the Sturgeon appears to have been much more common in 

 American rivers than now, and formerly as many as three hundred a day have 

 been hooked out of some of the rivers of Virginia in May, June, and July. 



Acipenser latirostris, of Parnell, is a variety of the Common Sturgeon, 

 distinguished by the thickness as well as the breadth of the snout. The 

 specimens originally described were nearly eight feet long, and weighed eight 

 stone. The back and sides are light grey inclining to olive, and the belly is 

 dirty white. Dr. Pai-nell remarks that it differs from the Common Sturgeon 

 in having the tip of the snout much broader than the mouth, in having the 

 barbels much nearer to the end of the snout than the mouth, and in the slight 

 elevation of the keel of the dorsal plates. According to Yarrell, there are 

 thirteen dorsal shields, and four between the dorsal and caudal iins. There 

 are thirty-two lateral shields and fifteen in each ventral row, with three or 

 four behind the ventral fins. 



Acipenser huso (Linn.eus). 



This is the largest of all the Sturgeons. It is found in the Black Sea, the 

 Sea of Azov, and the Caspian Sea, and enters the rivers which drain into those 

 waters. It is much rarer in the Mediterranean, but is sometimes taken in the 



Fig. 202. — ACIPEXSEK HUSO. 



rivers of Italy. In Russia it is known as the Beluga, ami in llu' valle\- of the 

 Danube its popular name is Jlaiiscn, though the Hungarians also c^all it ri:<i. 

 Now it is rarely seen above Pressburg. 



It was formerly much more abundant, and attained a far larger size in the 

 Danube than it ever grows to at the present day ; but its great size tempted 

 capture. Pishes twenty-four feet long were common, and it was slaughtered 

 in Hungary in thousands. At the present day it varies from one hundrcnl to 

 nine hundred ])oun(ls in weight, and occasionally reaches twelve to fifteen hun- 

 dred ])oun(ls. In Russia very heavy fishes are sometimes caught. Grimm 

 tells us of a Sturgeon taken in the river Ural in 1847, which weighed 

 J,(;n() pounils. One was enu^'ht at Saratov in isni), wliicli weiglied 1^7()l) 



