298 STURGEONS 



The Lake Sturgeon^ is from 5 to G feet in average 

 length, weighs from 30 to 40 pounds, and inhabits the Great 

 Lakes and adjacent connecting waters of good depth. 



The Shokt-Nosed Sturgeon^ is a salt-water species, 

 found along our Atlantic and Gulf coasts, from Cape Cod to 

 Texas. This is a small species, only about 2 feet in length, 

 and is of no importance. 



The Common Sturgeon' of our Atlantic coast is the 

 largest and most valuable member of this Order in Ameri- 

 can waters. It attains a length of 10 feet, and 500 pounds 

 in weight, and to-day at Wilmington, Delaware, its centre 

 of abundance, a large specimen represents about $75 worth 

 of commercial value. The most valuable part is the roe, 

 a cask of which, weighing 130 pounds, is worth $110. 



The White Sturgeon"* inhabits the waters of the Pacific 

 from southern California to Alaska, and the records show 

 it to be a giant among food fishes. Jordan and Evermann 

 quote it u]) to 13 feet in length, and weighing 1,000 pounds; 

 but the weight of any animal, dead or alive, which ends 

 with two ciphers is certain to be a weight of Estimate, and 

 not of Fairbanks. Strangely enough, numerous specimens of 

 this Sturgeon have been taken in Idaho, in the Snake River, 

 weighing from 100 to 650 pounds. "An example 11 feet 

 2 inches long measured 2 feet across the head." (Jordan and 

 Evermann.) 



Ten years ago (1904) the latest reports on the Sturgeon 

 industry generally were for 12 months during 1897 and 



' Ac-i-pen'scr ru-bi-nin'du3. ^ A. bre-vi-ros'tris. 



^ A. stu'ri-o. ^ A. trans-mon-tan'us. 



