of North Carolina. 237 



the Head to the fin of the Back near the Tail. The Kows 

 on the sides extend from the Head to the very Tail; made 

 up with about thirty sharp Thorns or Prickles. The lower 

 row which begin at the first pair of the Fins and end at the 

 second, are each made up of Eleven, Twelve or Thirteen ; all 

 the Scales of the rows in general, have on their Tops strong 

 sharp Prickles bending backwards. Besides these five rows, 

 they have only two Scales in the middle of the Belly, the 

 rest of the Belly being smooth. They have a large forked 

 Tail like that of the Shark's, the upper part whereof shoots 

 out beyond the lower a considerable way. These Fishes 

 sometimes frequent the Salt Waters like the Salmon, but 

 come to their gTeatest perfection in the Rivers, where they 

 are found twelve or fourteen Feet long, but those in the Sea 

 seldom exceed above a Foot and a half. They always are 

 observed to swim fastest against the Stream, and grow till 

 they weigh above two hundred pound Weight. In the Month 

 of May (at which time they are best in Season especially the 

 Females) they run up towards the Heads of the Rivers to 

 Spawn, where you shall see vast quantities of them in a Day 

 and especially before Rain, leaping at a great height out of 

 the Water. The Indians kill great ISTumbers of them with 

 their Fish-gigs and Xets, which they make and fix at the 

 ends of long Poles ; for they are seldom or never taken with 

 Hooks. The Indians that live up towards the Heads of the 

 Rivers are fond of them, and frequently eat them, but those 

 near the salts and Christians will not make any use of them. 

 Their Bones serve indifferently for Rasps or Graters to grate 

 Nut-megs, Bread, and the like withall. The Sturgeon is an 

 excellent Fish when in Season, being strengthning, and is 

 esteemed as good as Yeal, if not better; of their Eggs or 

 Spawn is made the Caviary so much esteemed amongst the 



Quality. 



