1062 



SCANDINAVIAN I'lSlIKS. 



congregates ne;ir the shores aud at tlie nmutlis of the 

 rivers, and liow the fish may he seen in the evening leap- 

 ing from the snrfacr, throwing their hnlky forms entireh- 

 out of the ^\■■,lt^JV. "At I'ier Cove, .Micli., on the 11th of 

 .Tune, 1S71, schools of stui'geons were at the edge of tiie 

 shore in a few feet of water, M,nd men from the vici- 

 nit\' were in the liahit of wading out and drawing them 

 asiiore with gaff-hooks. Mr. roUT.MAN, of Ijenton Har- 

 bor, has .seen the sturgeon at this season King in num- 

 bers on a shallow (■]:\\ Irdge at the edge of a stream, 

 .several of them lying flat on their l)a(d<s, with their 

 bellies upward, rolling and splashing in shallow water, 

 with aj)parent enjoyment"". With regard to the spawn- 

 ing of our European Sturgeon, to the best of ray know- 

 ledge, no per.sonal observations have j'et been recorded. 



The eggs are at first yellow. A.s they approach 

 ripeness, this colour turns to black. Eggs of both co- 

 lours are often found intenspersed in the same female. 

 The diameter of the ova rises to about 2 mm., and 

 their luuuber in a single gra\id fish runs to several 

 millions. They are said to be hatched six days after 

 dei)osition: and the fry soon afterwards set out on their 

 journey to the sea, whence the young Sturgeons do 

 not return until capable of taking part in the opera- 

 tions of reproduction. 



The Sturgeon-fishery is naturally pursued on the 

 most extensive scale in the countries where the fish 

 annually ascend the rivers (foi- instance the Po) in large 

 shoals. I)ut the value of the Sturgeon is greatest just 

 before the roe begins to ripen; and off the river-mouths 

 of Northern Europe important sea-fisheries are carried 

 on for Sturgeon in this condition, especially in the 

 (Termau Haffs and on the west coast of Germany. The 

 tackle employed consists of coarse-meshefl nets, with a 

 raesh 14 — 18 cm. square, and with or without sinkers. 

 The net is always loosely attached to the head-line, 

 so that in certain parts the meshes riui free along 

 this rope, the Sturgeon thus entangling itself in the 

 net more and more at every struggle. Besides Stur- 

 geons the catch often includes seals and dol])hins, Sal- 

 mon and other large fishes. The captive Sturgeons 

 are generally handled with no great tenderness. A 

 rope is |)assed in throuuh the mouth and out at one 

 of the gill-openings, .\nother rope is made fast round 

 the tail. The fish is then towed at the end of these 



" Cf. Dean, Note on the Spaivning Condition of tlie Sturgeon, 

 '' The caviare principally imported from Russin into Sweden is 

 caviare of llie Sterlet is scarce in tlie latter ccumtry. 



lines beside the rowboat, and tethererl, on the fisher- 

 man's return, to a stake or an anchor. The Sturgeon's 

 tenacitA' of life (jften exposes it to considerable suffer- 

 ings before it finds a purchaser. 



The purposes to which the Stui'geon is ajtplied in 

 domestic economy, and the value set u|ion it, vary 

 widely in different localities. Tlie fiesh, in nianv pla- 

 ces where its excellent (pialities ai'e appreciated, has 

 been and still is higlih' esteemed. There is an old 

 saying which declares that a skilful cook can convert 

 the flesh of the Sturgeon into ham, beefsteak, roast 

 lamb, or feathered game. The ancient Romans decked 

 the Sturgeon with flowers, and the dainty fish appeared 

 at table to the strains of music. At present the Stur- 

 geon is eaten less commonly fresh than smoked. The 

 carcase is cut up, and the strips of flesh are cured in the 

 said maimer. Most generally known and ])rized, how- 

 ever, is the roe, which is usually sold in Sweden under 

 the name of Elbe caviare''. To be fit for consumption, 

 especiallv if it is to be kept any length of time, the 

 roe should be not quite ripe. The (jvaries are opened, 

 and the roe is stirred in a sie\e, through which it is 

 carefully pressed, so as to rid it of the ovarian mem- 

 branes and blood-vessels. This caviare requires no fur- 

 ther preparation but salting, though it is often coin- 

 pressed in small bags, especially for transportation to 

 other markets, in which form it is, of course, drier, 

 but is preferred by manv palates. Vjezitia (the noto- 

 chord), which finds a great demand in Russia, is not 

 prepared from the Sturgeon in S^veden. 



The Sturgeon also yields — though on a far less 

 important scale than the Hansen — an excellent fish-glue 

 for industrial purjxises. This gelatine projierly consists 

 of nothing but the innermost membrane of the air- 

 bladder, washed and dried, in leaves which are cut to 

 a. convenient size. In this condition, its purest form, 

 it is both tasteless and w ithout smell, and maj' be used 

 not onlv as a glue, but also as the best isinglass for 

 soups and jellies, as a vehicle in the administration o\ 

 medicines, and in the fining of wines. In the usual 

 process of preparation, however, several other parts ot 

 the air-bladder are not removed, and the i)urity of the 

 isinglass thus suffers. A coarser glue may be extracted 

 from the skin of the Sturgeon, and the offal may he 

 boiled down into oil. 



Zool. Anzeig., XVI Jalirg., No. 4;i6 (27 Dec. I81I3). p. 473. 



the coarse-grained roe of the Hansen. The iiner-t;raincd, more valiialile 



