THE STURGEON. 



199 



at once known by the cartilaginous or bony shields with which the head and body are 

 at intervals covered. 



In this remarkable fish the mouth is placed well under the head, and in fact seems 

 to be set almost in the throat, the long snout appearing to be entirely a superfluous 

 ornament. The mouth projects downwards like a short and wide tube, much wider 

 than long, and on looking into this tube no teeth are to be seen. Between the mouth 

 and the extremity of the snout is a row of fleshy finger-like appendages, four in num- 

 ber, and apparently organs of touch. 



One or two species of Sturgeon are important in commerce, as two valuable articles, 

 namely isinglass and caviare, are made from them. The former substance is too well 

 known to need a description, and the mode of preparing it for use is briefly as follows. 



STURGEON. Aclpeaser attilus 



The air-bladder is removed from the fish, washed carefully in fresh water, and then 

 hung up in the air for a day or two so as to stiffen. The outer coat or membrane is 

 then peeled off, and the remainder is cut up into strips of greater or lesser length, 

 technically called staples, the long staples being the most valuable. This substance 

 affords so large a quantity of gelatinous matter, that one part of isinglass dissolved in 

 a hundred parts of boiling water will form a stiff jelly when cold. 



Caviare is made from the roe of this fish, and as nearly three millions of eggs have 

 been taken from a single fish, the amount of caviare that one Sturgeon can afford is 

 rather large. It is made by removing all the membranes, and then washing the roe 

 carefully with vinegar or white wine. It is next dried thoroughly in the air, well salted, 

 subjected to strong pressure in order to force out all moisture caused by the wet-absorbing 



