CARTILAGINOUS FISHES. 275 



fel those fish that keep entirely either in salt or fresh water are but 

 omparatively small. When the sturgeon enjoys the vicissitude of 

 fesh and salt water, it is then that it grows to an enormous size, so as 

 *lmost to rival even the whale in magnitude. 



Nor are we without frequent visits from this much-esteemed fish in 

 England. It is often accidentally taken in our rivers in salmon nots, 

 and particularly in those parts that are not far remote from the sea. 

 The largest we have heard of, caught in Great Britain, was a fish ta- 

 ken in the Eske, where they are most frequently found, which weigh 

 ed four hundred and sixty pounds. An enormous size to those who 

 have only seen our fresh-water fishes ! 



North America also furnishes the sturgeon ; their rivers in May, 

 June, and July, supply them in very great abundance. At that time 

 they are seen sporting in the water, and leaping from its surface seve- 

 ral yards into the air. When they fall again on their sides, the 

 concussion is so violent, that the noise is heard in still weather at 

 some miles distance. 



But of all places where this animal is to be found, it appears no- 

 where in such numbers as in the lakes of Frischehaff and CurischafF, 

 near the city of Pillau. In the rivers also that empty themselves into 

 the Euxine Sea, this fish is caught in great numbers, particularly at 

 the mouth of the river Don. In all these places the fishermen regu- 

 larly expect their arrival from the sea, and have their nets and salt 

 ready prepared for their reception. 



As the sturgeon is a harmless fish and noway voracious, it is never 

 caught by a bait in the ordinary manner of fishing, but always in 

 nets. From the description given above of its mouth, it is not to be 

 supposed that the sturgeon would swallow any hook capable of holding 

 so large a bulk and so strong a swimmer. In fact, it never attempts 

 to seize any of the finny tribe, but lives by rooting at the bottom of 

 the sea, where it makes insects and sea-plants its whole subsistence. 

 From this quality of floundering at the bottom it has received its 

 name ; which comes from the German verb stoeren, signifying to wal- 

 low in the mud. That it lives upon no large animals is obvious to all 

 those who cut it open, where nothing is found in its stomach but a 

 kind of slimy substance, which has induced some to think it lives only 

 upon water and air. From hence there is a German proverb, which 

 is applied to a man extremely temperate, when they say, he is as mo- 

 derate as a sturgeon. 



As the sturgeon is so temperate in its appetites, so is it also equally 

 timid in its nature. There would be scarce any method of taking it, 

 did not its natural desire of propagation induce it to incur so great a 

 variety of dangers. The smallest fish is alone sufficient to terrify a 

 shoal of sturgeons; for, being unfurnished with any weapon of de- 

 fence, they are obliged to trust to their swiftness and their caution 

 for security. Like all animals that do not make war upon others, 

 sturgeons live in society among themselves ; rather for the purposes 

 of pleasure than from any power of mutual protection. Gesner even 

 asserts, that they are delighted with sounds of various kinds; and 

 that he has seen them shoal together, at the notes of a trumpet. 



The usual time, as was said before, for the sturgeon to come up 

 rivers to deposit its spawn is about the beginning of summer, \vhei 



