BROAD-NOSED STURGEON. 



51 



brouglit to the Edinburgli market for sale, the head of which 

 I preserved. A few weeks after, another was taken in the 

 Tav, whicli differed in no respect from tlie former, except in 

 sexual distinction." 



" Length seven feet nine inches ; weight eight stone, or 

 one hundred and twelve pounds. The colour of the back 

 and sides is of a light grey, with a shade of olive ; the belly 

 dirty white. The body is armed with five rows of osseous 

 shields, running fi-om the head to the tail. The first row 

 commences behind the head, and runs down the central 

 ridge of the back ; the two next rows arise one on each side 

 of the former. Immediately on the lower margin of the pec- 

 torals the other two rows commence. The skin is rouah, 

 with a number of small angular osseous plates intermixed 

 with very minute spicula. The first free shield on the dor- 

 sal ridge is nearly circular, and very slightly carinated ; all 

 the rest in that row are of an oval form. The snout is wide 

 and depressed, much broader than the diameter of the mouth. 

 On the under surface, placed nearer to the tip of the snout 



E 2 



