PISCES— HUSO. 727 



to tail with five rows of large bony tubercles, each of which ends in a strong^ 

 recurved tip ; one of these is on the back, one on each side, and two on the 

 margin of the belly. The snout is long, and obtuse at the end, and has the 

 tendrils near the tip. The mouth, which is beneath the head, is somewhat 

 like the opening of a purse, and is so formed as to be pushed suddenly out 

 or retracted. The upper part of the body is of a dirty olive color; the lower 

 parts silvery; and the tubercles are white in the middle. The tendrils on 

 the snout, which are some inches in length, have so great a resemblance in 

 form, to earth-worms, that, at first sight, they might be mistaken for them. 

 By this contrivance, this clumsy, toothless fish is supposed to keep himself 

 in good condition, the solidity of his flesh evidently showing him to be a fish 

 of prey. He is said to hide his body among the weeds near the sea coast, 

 or at the mouths of large rivers, only exposing his tendrils, which small 

 fishes or sea insects, mistaking for real worms, approach to seize, and are 

 sucked into the jaws of their enemy. He has been supposed by some to 

 root into the soil at the bottom of the sea or rivers ; but, if this were the 

 case, the tendrils above-mentioned, which hang from his snout over 

 his mouth, must be very inconvenient to him. As he has no jaws, it is evi- 

 dent that he lives by suction, and, during his residence in the sea, marine 

 insects are generally found in his stomach. 



A very great trade is carried on with the roe of the sturgeon, preserved in 

 a particular manner, and called caviar ; it is made from the roe of all kinds 

 of sturgeon. This is much more in request in other countries of Europe 

 than in England. To all these high-relished meats, the appetite must be 

 formed by degrees; and though formerly, even in England, it was very much 

 in request at the politest tables, it is at present sunk entirely into disuse. It 

 is still, however, a considerable merchandise among the Turks, Greeks, and 

 Venetians. Caviar somewhat resembles soft soap in consistence ; but it is 

 of a brown, uniform color, and is eaten as cheese with bread. 



THE HUSO, OR ISINGLASS FISH,i 



Is caught in great quantities in the Danube, from the months of October to 

 January; it is seldom under fifty pounds weight, and often above four hun- 

 dred ; its flesh is soft, glutinous, and flabby ; but it is sometimes salted, 

 which makes it better tasted, and then it turns red like a salmon. It is for 

 the commodity it furnishes that it is chiefly taken. The manner of making 

 it is this : they take the skin, the entrails, the fins, and the tail of this fish, 

 and cut them into small pieces ; these are left to macerate in a sufficient 



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* Accipenser huso, Lin. 



