OHIO RIVER FISHES. 985 
first become dry, but in a few minutes a brine has been formed. The salted eggs 
are then placed on fine-meshed sieves, where they are allowed to drain, after which 
they are packed in casks or cans as caviar. The method does not differ from that 
followed with the eggs of sturgeon. 
Mr. Sowders says that 1897 was his best year. In 1898 he got considerable quan- 
tities at various places down the Mississippi in March. 
Acipenser rubicundus Le Sueur. Lake Sturgeon; Ohio Sturgeon. 
The sturgeon ascends the Kanawha at least to Montgomery, but it does not appear 
to be common anywhere in the Ohio basin. This species was formerly much more 
abundant in the Ohio, and I have seen a very large example with ripe roe at Louis- 
ville in March. 
Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus (Rafinesque). Shovelnose Sturgeon. 
This is a rather abundant fish at Louisville. They are taken in seines with the 
spoonbill cat and the Ohio shad, as they run at the same time with those species 
and also swim well toward the surface of the water when running. The fisherman 
ties them in bunches (2 to 4 ina bunch, which weighs about 4 pounds), for which he 
receives 10 cents each. The accompanying table gives the weight and length of 41 
males and 21 females examined. 
Table showing sex, length in inches, and weight in pounds of 62 shovelnose sturgeon exam- 
ined at Louisville, Ky., May 16 to 19, 1898. 
| 
Sex. Length. | Weight. || Sex. | Length. | Weight. 
Inches. | Pounds. Inches. | Pounds. 
Rite] Geese itor oe a/c seuce ce ce 21 «| 2 NID Gi eh ee le 21 1.5 
Des Seton ccla wine a meieae 25 2,25 LD) Ome ole Bins ack rao Sloe reise ew 19 | 1,25 
DO rte eects sine w= 21s 2 Zio: 25.5 2.5 WD) Os arrstvd ono Meera etic iaas 21 15 
BOGE SE ae to ean 24 | 2.5 Gta ect a Sears ate S srepoeierate 21 15) 
D Ob seeeeenseoreasce sees). 27 3 DO vee ais teeth cee 21.5 ro 
WO errs Se doe ccm aatciscwsics 21 le | DOR ase dea tvacee cee 19 125) 
DOM ee eta ae foe se esa | 23 De DO: Sa cspacecceisaak acdassce 18.5 | O5 
1 BYo\ Been oan nese > nae 21 | 2 DOr eee ota sone ee 19 1:25 
1DYO See OSes eae tere PA 2 DO) ee arnec sence ee Seeae 16.5 | a 
[Des case ese EERE renee D5es.| 2.75 | DORA Reo ete Ne ase 18 1.25 
DOm sence coecesceceas | 24 Doe BCMA sats aocees See eeee ane 26 3.75 
JO Ra Section Brac ear 20 1.5 Giese ee cee ae SectNncas ee 22 2, 
WD) Reece cc taisiiase aise 22 2 DG oe ee en eee 25. | a0 
DO Pye od Feist cass eeiesee ale 26 B) DO Fae sete Salta ems 27 4 
Woe escoecn. cscs 22 2 Do psp oatoniels 26 | 3.5 
DOBRA ease anscaseicee ce 20 1.5 DD) Oper cicadas Sansa 20) | 3 
DOR eaten ee seee 24 2.75 DOWaed acoso ees tecibeeee ce 24.5 Pet fay 
IDO Sean ae ear 24 2.25} WOW ee seoee ea a tosbinee 26 3 
ID) OSS wre wr ata Aether a Sterote siecle 22 1E5) I] 1 BY) Aenea ey ere er 26 oud, 
iD: i a 21 1.75 | Does te es oe 23 2.75 
WD ORS ae ee eeeiee osm occice oes 24 2.5 || Oe een eee are 26 3 
WD OME pen Sercsreteccicsttae say 22 IY yl 1 DOS oS e Ree senoeee 28 4, 25 
ID OMe nee oe ccn)- come sis 20 5 || DOS Baca .c ce cancake weeseee 23 20) 
DO en ee tes eres ot 1.75 || Done sae ae eee ee 27 4 
1D) See ee eO Sane eee 24,5 3 || IDG) siete Styh NE Bey ee em Oye 26 i 3,25 
ID) Oren pees ore ale ciate Sa ferotel sien 21 nlSiay QUES aise e ican: oly jetta 29.5 4.79 
ID OBB eseetecccaocn cease et 20 1,25 | ID) OWN ee BS co higes Bee 26 || 4 
1D. Shs Soe acdo ee eneeracsere 21 2 DO yeaa ie © okclarctacerstalnices a ale 20) 7 3 
10Y0) 36, 5 SAO sed Sener 20 1.5 1D Yo yet 3 eye ee eH See ee ee 26 3 
Dinas cae ee 20 1.5 |] 1) One ee EOC 3 24 2.75 
100. oba50 Rene Eee | 24 2.25 || NB YO, See” Spee ee ae 22, | 2 
The total number of examples of this species examined critically was 62, of which 
41 were males and 21 females. The smallest male was 16.5 inches long and weighed 
1 pound; the largest male was 27 inches long and weighed 3 pounds; the average 
length of the males was 21.7 inches, and the weight 1.89 pounds. The smallest 
female was 22 inches long and weighed 2 pounds; the largest female was 29.5 inches 
long and weighed 4.75 pounds; the average length of the females was 25.4 inches, 
and the average weight 3.24 pounds. 
In addition to these 62 fish examined, I measured, but did not determine the 
weight or sex of, 78 others. Of these the smallest was 18 inches long, the largest 28 
