390 THE FKESII-WATEK IRISHES OF EUROPE. 



the frontal interspace is three-and-a-half times the orbital diameter. The 

 opercular shield is small. 



The shields on the body are similar in character to those on the other species, 

 though the scutes of the lateral rows are more closely packed together. The 

 mimber of dorsal shields varies from eleven to fourteen; they have the base 

 broad and nearly triangular, but the last is lozenge-shaped. The first shield is 

 the largest, but the fourth to sixth rise highest. All have a strong smooth 

 median ridge, which is prolonged backward into a rather long pointed hook. 

 They decrease in size towards the dorsal fin, and between the last scute and 

 the dorsal fin there arc usually many flat irregular bony plates. 



The lateral scutes are sixty to seventy in number, and have each a long 

 oblique lozenge shape. They are sharply keeled in the middle and striped. 

 The number of ventral shields varies from ten to eighteen, they are small, 

 nearly triangular, and ridged, but are more distant from each other than the 

 lateral shields. There are no shields between the dorsal and caudal fins, but 

 three or four flat oval small scutes are found between the vent and the anal fin. 

 Between the rows of shields the skin is covered with small bony scales, which 

 are uniform in size, and become denticulated at their hinder border, but on the 

 belly they become merely rough points. 



The fins are strong ; the pectorals are longer than the diameter of the body, 

 the bony ray reaches nearly to the extremity of -the fin. The dorsal fin is 

 longer than its height, and the height of the anal and ventral fins exceeds their 

 respective lengths. The caudal fin is powerfully developed, and the jointed 

 rays are remarkably long. 



The colour of the back is greyish-brown or yellowish-brown. The shields 

 are dirty white. The fins are grey, though the ventral and anal are rather red. 

 The iris is yellow. Albino varieties are occasionally found. 



The females have a flatter forehead, and the snout is rather thinner, longer, 

 and more curved. 



In young fishes the snout is relatively less elongated than in other species, 

 but the pectoral fin is more elongated, being more than twice the height of 

 the body. 



This species spawns in May and June, and yields the best caviare. It lives 

 about six or seven years. 



According to Dr. Grimm, it sells at a lower price at Astrakhan than any 

 other Sturgeon, the wholesale price being from two to two-and-a-half roubles 

 the pood of thirty-six pounds, for fishes measuring fourteen inches or more ; and 

 one to one-and-a-half roubles the pood for fishes of less than fourteen inches. 

 But when salted the larger Sterlet command a rouble (two shillings and 

 tenpence) the pood additional. It is frequently pickled. 



