20 BRITISH FRESHWATER FISHES 



Shrewsbury and in the Trent at Nottingham. Accord- 

 ing to Macpherson, a Sturgeon recently captured may 

 be a dangerous companion, and one has been known 

 to cut a man's leg to the bone with a blow of its tail, 

 the dorsal spines and the sharp- edged lateral scutes 

 making the latter a formidable weapon of offence. 



The flesh of the Sturgeon is generally esteemed, 

 and the preparation of caviare from the roe, and of 

 isinglass from the air-bladder, of this and other species 

 are large industries, principally carried on round the 

 Black and Caspian Seas. 



The French name for this fish is Esttn^geon and the 

 German Star, whilst similar words occur in other 

 languages and are probably from the same root as 

 the verb ' to stir,' in allusion to the habits of the fish. 



