274 BELUGA. 



the great length of sixteen or eighteen feet, and the weight 

 of nearly five hundred pounds. At a certain season of 

 the year they enter the great rivers ; are not unfrequently 

 caught in the salmon-nets ; and are easily brought to the 

 shore, from the circumstance of their offering no resistance, 

 but, when entangled, appearing almost like an inanimate 

 lump. From May to July they are found in vast abun- 

 dance in the rivers of North America. And it is stated 

 that they sometimes leap to a great height out of the 

 water; and, as they fall on their sides, make a noise which 

 in still weather, may be heard to the distance of several 

 miles. Great quantities of pickled Sturgeon are every 

 year exported from the Baltic, and also from North 

 America. The roes of these fish are salted and dried, 

 an^cl, thus prepared, have the name of caviar. 



The snout of the Common Sturgeon is obtuse, and the 

 mouth is equal in width and length. The four beards are 

 near the end of the snout, and the lips are cleft. The 

 eyes are very small. The body is five-sided, and covered 

 with five rows of large bony tubercles. The whole under 

 side is flat. The tail is forked, but the upper part is much 

 the longest. The back and sides are of a dirty olive 

 colour, and the belly is silvery. The centre of each tu- 

 bercle is white. 



The Beluga, or Isinglass Fish. This species grows to 

 a larger size than the last, sometimes attaining the length 

 of more than twenty-four feet. They are found in great 

 abundance in the Danube, and in several of the Russian 

 rivers. In almost every respect the habits of the Beluga 

 resemble those of the common sturgeon. They are caught 

 principally for the sake of their skin, entrails, and tail, 

 which are made into isinglass. The flesh also is some- 

 times salted or pickled for food. 



