118 STURIONES 



of colors, took the business into his own hands. 

 Substituting his tail for a brush, he commenced 

 operations on a large scale, and as he flounced 

 about in his new quarters, scattered the paint in 

 every direction, spreading it over the side of the 

 vessel and scow, and not omitting to bestow a lib- 

 eral coat on the painters themselves. He was not 

 long permitted, however, to display his skill in his 

 new^ line of business, for the painters not relishing 

 this species of monopoly, commenced a united as- 

 sault on their new competitor, and despatched him 

 without mercy." 



No account is made of them, as food, owing, 

 perhaps, in some measure, to their scarcity, in 

 this vicinity ; but at New York, and particularly at 

 Albany, they were once esteemed. In Europe, 

 the sturgeon is much prized, being variously pre- 

 pared by smoking, pickling and drying. 



In this country, the sturgeon fishery appears to 

 be wholly neglected, though formerly, vast quan- 

 tities were taken in Virginia. In the cold regions 

 of Russia, the sturgeon is considered delicious; 

 thousands upon thousands of tons are salted in bar- 

 rels for exportation. 



The Danube, Volga and Don, are among the 

 most famous sturgeon localities in the world. We 

 are assured by a traveller, that a grand dinner can- 

 not be given in Russia, without sterlet, accipenser 



