THE STUKGEON, ' 333 



exceedingly inoffensive. Of this fish there arc three 

 distinct kinds, the common sturgeon, the caviar, and 

 tire isinglass fish. 



About the beginning of summed the sturgeons 

 comr up the rivers to deposit their "spawn. They vi- 

 sit in this manner every country of Europe; hat the 

 inhabitants along the banks of the Po, the Danube, 

 and the Wolga, are those who derive the greatest ad- 

 vantage from the sturgeon fishery. At Pillau, the 

 shores are formed into districts allotted to- companies 

 of fishermen, at the annual rent of about three hun~ 

 ilred pounds for each distinct fishery. 



The sturgeon, when pickled, is well known, and 

 greatly esteemed throughout all Europe. A very 

 considerable trade is also carried on with the roe of 

 the caviar, preserved in a particular manner; it is also 

 made from the roe of the common sturgeon; but ag it 

 is chiefly prepared front the former, it derive* from 

 that pfecioi thu gtmeml uatne of caviar. " This, how* 

 ever, is more' in request in the other countries of Eu- 

 rope than in England, It is one of those high-relish- 

 ed viands, to which the appetite must be formed by 

 degrees., and which, although formerly esteemed at 

 the most elegant tables in this country, is now but 

 little in use among us. It is, however, still a consi- 

 derable article of Merchandise among the Turks, 

 Greeks, and Venetians^. It somewhat resembles soft 

 soap in consistency: biit.is of a brown colour, ,and is 

 frequently eaten with bre^d instead ofchce.se. 



The isinglas fish, the third species of the sturgeon 

 kind, furnishes the still inWe valuable commodity 

 which derives from it its nan^e. This fish is caught 

 in great quantities in the Danube, and some other 

 large rivers, from the month of October to that of Ja- 

 nuary. It is sometimes found of the weight of four 

 .hundred pounds, and seldom under fifty. Its flesh is 

 soft and flabby, and not held in great esteem ; but it 

 is chie/ly sought for the commodity which it fur- 

 nishes. 



To this description of a race of fishes so interesting^ 



