248 ISINGLASS-FISH. BALISTES* 



Its body is long, pentagonal, and covered with five rows 

 of long bony tubercles. The upper part of the body is 

 of a dirty olive colour, the lower is silvery, and the 

 middle of the tubercles is white. 



Sturgeons visit every country of Europe, at different 

 seasons. They annually ascend the large rivers, in order 

 to spawn. The inhabitants of the banks of the Po, the 

 Danube, and the Wolga, derive considerable profit from 

 the incursions of these fishes up their respective streams, 

 and place nets ready for their reception. The flesh is, in 

 its season, daily exposed for sale in the markets of Rome 

 and Venice. It was formerly much esteemed in Eng- 

 land ; but is now fallen into disrepute here, though it is 

 sometimes seen on the sideboards of the wealthy. The 

 roes, however, form a very lucrative branch of trade, 

 under the name of caviar. 



THE ISINGLASS-FISH. 



This fish is distinguished from others of the sturgeon 

 kind, by being destitute of tubercles. It is caught in 

 great numbers in the river Danube, and weighs from fifty 

 to upwards of four hundred pounds. The flesh is soft, 

 glutinous, and flabby ; but, when salted, is reckoned 

 tolerably good eating. However, this fish is principally 

 caught for the sake of that valuable commodity, isinglass, 

 which is prepared in the following manner : The skin, 

 the entrails, the fins, .and tail, are cut into small pieces, 

 and, after being macerated for some time in a sufficient 

 quantity of warm water, are boiled over a slow fire, till 

 they are dissolved and reduced to a jelly. This jelly is 

 spread on plates made on purpose, like parchment ; and 

 when dry is rolled up into that form in which it appears in 

 the shops, 



THE BALISTES. 



This genus of the amphibia nantes, consisting of eight 

 species, has a flat head, a flat body, scales joined together 

 by the skin, and the belly carinated, or keeled. Imme* 



