54 THE AXGLER AXD HUXTSMAX 



short-nosed sturgeons (Acipenser sturio and A. breviros- 

 tris), which are found only on the Atlantic Coast, ascend- 

 ing rivers to spawn; the white sturgeon and green stur- 

 geon (A. transmontanus and A. medirostris) are found on- 

 ly in the waters of the Pacific Coast; the lake or rock stur- 

 geon (A. rubicundus) is found in the Great Lakes, Upper 

 Mississippi Valley, and other northern interior waters, and 

 the shovel-nose sturgeon or white sturgeon (Scaphirhyn- 

 chus platyrhynchus) is found in the Mississippi and va- 

 rious other streams of the South and West. 



The common sturgeon of the Atlantic Coast grows as 

 large as 500 pounds, or over, but the average is probably 

 about 150 pounds. The lake sturgeon reaches a weight 

 of approximately 200 pounds, but the average is only 60 

 pounds. The Pacific white sturgeon attains a weight of 

 848 pounds, and those weighing as much as 500 pounds 

 were not scarce a few years ago in the Columbia river, the 

 average being 150 pounds, but now it is much less. 



The Flatfish, or Winter Flounder: 



This fish is known scientifically by the terrific and 

 lengthy term "Pseudoplouronectes americanus," and the 

 body is regularly elliptical, The eyes and color are on the 

 right side, the upper side of the head being covered with 

 imbricated etenoid scales similar to those of the body, 

 while the blind side of the head is nearly naked. Having 

 a small mouth, this species feeds chiefly on small shells, 

 crabs, and other bottom animals. It is found on sandy, mud- 

 dy, and rocky bottoms, seeming to prefer sheltered coves 

 and bays. This fish is one of the most abundant flounders of 

 the Atlantic coast, and is especially numerous in southern 

 New England and New York. Its range extends as far 

 north as Labrador and as far south as the Carolinas, but is 

 not plentiful south of New Jersey. The average weight is 

 about a pound and one-half. 



