OHIO RIVER FISHES. 985 
first become dry, but ina few minutes a brine has been formed. The salted eggs 
are then placed on fine-meshed sieves, where they are allowed to drain, after which 
they are packed in casks or cans as caviar. The method does not differ from that 
followed with the eggs of sturgeon. 
Mr. Sowders says that 1897 was his best year. In 1898 he got considerable quan- 
tities at various places down the Mississippi in March. 
Acipenser rubicundus Le Sueur. Lake Sturgeon; Ohio Sturgeon. 
The sturgeon ascends the Kanawha at least to Montgomery, but it does not appear 
to be common anywhere in the Ohio basin. This species was formerly much more 
abundant in the Ohio, and I have seen a very large example with ripe roe at Lonis- 
ville in March. 
Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus (Rafinesque). Shovelnose Sturgeon. 
This is a rather abundant fish at Louisville. They are taken in seines with the 
spoonbill cat and the Ohio shad, as they run at the same time with those species 
and also swim well toward the surface of the water when running. The fisherman 
ties them in bunches (2 to 4 ina bunch, which weighs about 4 pounds), for which he 
receives 10 cents each. The accompanying table gives the weight and length of 41 
males and 21 females examined. 
Table showing sex, length in inches, and weight in pounds of 62 shovelnose sturgeon exam- 
ined at Lowisville, Ky., May 16 to 19, 1898. 




| | 
Sex. | Length. | Weight. Sex. Length. | Weight. 
| 
Inches. | Pounds. |) Inches. | Pounds. 
21 2 | WAL Oy ees arerste maar cc poee 21 1.5 
25 2.25 || DOW Hews oe stelee sn ceeenee 19 1.25 
25.5 et |) DOGn ei Ae resactisaceseeone 21 ed, 
24 Dips Omen eee eer erence 21 5 
27 3 IDO eeaae Go SeaOSAbOsRGuue 21.5 1.75 
PAL 1.5 DO ok etna he earn 19 1,25 
23 2 DO Sa eaerer eens eco 18.5 1.25 
21 yy DOs. kecissleameteniyenae see 19 120) 
21 2 | 1D Yo Bs Sea eae Ses aoe 16.5 1 
25 2.75 DD Onera saetaeea ease eae 18 1,25 
24 2.5 Heme eer socom ee 26 3.75 
20 1.5 DORE Aeon eee neo eeeiee 22 2 
22 2. DO tttiee es eect eee 25 3.25 
26 3 DOM sae Set se easiest nase 27 4 
22 vs DDO} Sees a ee ere ciects aavemiate 26 3.9 
20 1.5 Woe i Aan eeeee eons 25 3 
24 2.75 DOr Ss aes se nse cesses 24.5 2.75 
24 2.25 DOM se sas ae ee eee 26 3 
22 1.5 DORE ae SSS on Soccer 26 3.5 
PAL 1.75 DOr sens 2 adeacibces ete onsee 23) 2.75 
24 2.5 IDC eS Sr epee s Shee 26 3 
22 1.75 DOR atrnceee sooo ea recc one 28 4.25 
20 1.5 DD) Oye errs oes oe ae sta sen 23 2:5 
21 1.75 DO Se kek Sisk dose st 27 4 
24.5 ita Doi ae eee eee ede eee 26 3.25 
21 1.5 || DD) Oe ae eioate 29.5 4.75 
20 1.25 DO reese aic foe alecine se cis 26 4 
21 2 1D 6) oe COR Ee eae 25 33 
20 Uap aa || DOF ee eee seo Sees Sas 26 3 
20 ila | DOP Saas seo eaes tos eas 24 2.79 
24 2.25 || DOW eetern cose 4-8 Tg gece 22 2 






The total number of examples of this species examined critically was 62, of which 
41 were males and 21 females. The smallest male was 16.5 inches long and weighed 
1 pound; the largest male was 27 inches long and weighed 3 pounds; the average 
length of the males was 21.7 inches, and the weight 1.89 pounds, The smallest 
female was 22 inches long and weighed 2 pounds; the largest female was 29.5 inches 
long and weighed 4.75 pounds; the average length of the females was 25.4 inches, 
and the average weight 3.24 pounds. 
In addition to these 62 fish examined, I measured, but did not determine the 
weight or sex of, 78 others. Of these the smallest was 18 inches long, the largest 28 
