204 THL COMMON STURGEON, 



The flesh of the Sturgeon is well known to be 

 extremely delicious ; and it was so much valued, in 

 the time of the Emperor Severus, that it was brought 

 to table by servants with coronets on their heads, 

 and preceded by music. This might give rise to its 

 being, in our country, presented by the Lord Mayor 

 to the King. At present, the Sturgeons are caught 

 in the Danube, the Volga, the Don, and other large 

 rivers, for various purposes. The skin makes a 

 good covering for carriages ; caviar is prepared 

 from the spawn; and the flesh is pickled, or salted, 

 and sent all over Europe*. 



To make the caviar, the spawn is freed from the 

 little fibres by which it is connected, washed in 

 white wine or vinegar, and afterwards spread out 

 to dry. It is then put into a vessel and salted 

 (crushing it down with the hands) and afterwards 

 inclosed in a canvas bag to drain ofF the moisture. 

 It is, last o( all, put into a tub with a hole in the 

 bottom, that any remaining moisture may run off, 

 pressed down, and closed for use. 



It has been said that of the skin of the Sturgeon 

 isinglass is made : 'but this is a mistake ; for the 

 Sturgeon is altogether of so cartilaginous a nature 

 that no part of it will produce isinglass, except the 

 inner coat of the air-bladder. The isinglass most 

 common in our shops is made from a species of 

 Dolphin, called the Beluga f. 



The bones are reported to be so hard as to 



* Note to Darwin's Botanic Garden. 

 + Dclphimts Uucas of Linnaeus. 



