STURGEONS. 121 



appear to seek the sea very early, and remain until full grown. 

 The flesh of most of these fishes is agreeable, and there is pre- 

 pared from their eggs a food, which is very much esteemed in the 

 north of Europe, known under the name of caviar ; and it is 

 chiefly from their swimming-bladder thatfah-glue, or ichthyocolla 

 is prepared. 



4. Many species of sturgeons are known ; they are found in 

 western Europe and North America ; but it is particularly in the 

 great rivers of the eastern part of Europe, and the north of Asia, 

 that they abound, and give rise to important fisheries. The 

 Common Sturgeon, Jlcipenser aturio, is six or seven feet long, 

 with a pointed snout, and five rows of strong, spiny plates : it 

 enters the large rivers of France about the month of April, and 

 ascends in numerous shoals, the Danube, the Don, and many 

 other streams that flow into the Caspian Sea. This species is 

 found in the waters of the United States. The Hausen, or 

 Great Sturgeon, JlcApemer huso, ( Fig. 61.) which attains 

 from twelve to fifteen feet in length, and often weighs more 

 than twelve hun- 



dred pounds, and 

 sometimes even as 

 much as three 

 thousand is some- 

 times seen in the ''HI 

 Po : but generally, THE GREAT STURGEON. 

 it only frequents the Danube, the Don, the Volga, and other rivers 

 which empty into the same seas. It enters them in shoals, from 

 the end of winter, and, immediately after spawning, returns to 

 the sea, where it is soon followed by its young. Its flesh is less 

 esteemed than that of the common sturgeon ; but it is chiefly 

 from its eggs and its swimming-bladder that caviar, and ichthyo- 

 colla are prepared. It is distinguished from the last by its blunter 

 tubercles or plates, its shorter .snout, and smoother skin. The 

 Sterlet, or Little Sturgeon, Jlcipeitser pygmceits, which seldom 

 exceeds two feet in length, and which has its plates arranged in 

 more numerous rows than the preceding species, also inhabits 

 the rivers which flow into the Black and Caspian Seas : its flesh 

 is said to be delicate ; it is probably the elops and acipenser so 

 celebrated among the Romans. 



5. We give the name of Polyodon, Spatularia, to certain 

 fishes of the Mississippi river, which bear some analogy to 



4. What are the characters of the common Sturgeon '/ What are the 

 characters of the great Sturgeon? Where is it found? What is the 

 Sterlet ? 



5. What is the Polyodon ? 



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