THE STURGEON". 1 35 



determines the migrations of the flurgeon, as well as 

 thofe of other fi(h. During the winter months they 

 Biount the rivers ; while in fummer, they betake them- 

 felves to the ocean ; probably, however, never removing 

 «tt any great dillance from the Ihore *, 



^he Commofi Sturgeon f . 



J^ONDELETIUS, Ge/?ier, and ^Idrovandus, have tedious 

 difputations, whether this animal be the acipenfer, or 

 Elops of the ancients ; a matter of very little moment, 

 fince, if the animal be accurately defcribed, and well 

 known, it matters but little by what name it was an- 

 ciently diftinguiflied. 



The great refort of the flurgeons is the rivers of RuJJla 

 and Germany ; and as they are frequently found in the 

 Mediterraneati, at the mouths of the Italitm rivers, it is 

 highly probable that at lead fome fpecies of them were 

 known to the Romans : Pli/iy, however, as well as Ovid^ 

 mention the acipenfer as a foreign fifh |. 



The common llurgeon is an inhabitant of the Brit'ijh 

 feas, from which it afcends the rivers, and is fometimes 

 taken in the nets fet for falmon : It is there, however, 

 found only in fmall numbers ; the greater part confumed 

 in this ifland is brought either from North jlmericuj or 

 the Baltic. In the lakes of Frifchehaffy and Currifchqfft 

 and in the rivers in the neighbourhood of Pillau, they 



arc 



* Willough. Tchthyol. 



f Acipenfer Sturio, Lin. Syft, Acipenfer, Roiidelcf. 



I Pliny, Lib. ix. cap. 17. et Ovidii Halleut. 



