428 



ORDERS OF FISHES— STURGEONS 



roe, a cask of which, weighing 130 pounds, is worth 

 $110. 



The White Sturgeon 1 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 up 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.) 



The latest reports on the Sturgeon industry 

 generally are for 12 months during 1897 and 1898. 

 During that period, 17 states participated in a 

 catch which amounted to 5,726,830 pounds, which 

 sold for $321,036. The catch in Oregon was nearly 

 two million pounds, that of New Jersey 868,326, 

 and Virginia next. 



1 Ac—i-pen'ser Atrans-mon-tan'us. 



