124 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. 



orifice totally destitute of teeth, but containing a thick 

 and strong tongue ; it is bordered, both above and be- 

 low, by a strong cartilaginous edge or lip, which has 

 the power of retracting and closing at pleasure. The 

 whole body, which is pentagonal, is more or less covered, 

 according to the species, by strong, large, bony tubercles; 

 thus forcibly calling to mind, both in its covering and 

 the construction of its mouth, the toothless quadrupeds 

 (^Edentata). Sturgeons are natives of the northern 

 European and American seas ; they migrate, during the 

 early summer months, into the larger rivers and lakes, 

 and, after depositing their spawn, return again to the 

 sea. The North American sturgeons may almost be 

 called freshwater fishes, since they are rarely taken at 

 any great distance from the shore. In some of the' 

 rivers of Virginia they are so numerous, that Pennant 

 affirms 600 have been taken in the space of two days, 

 by merely putting a pole into the water, with a strong 

 hook at the end, and drawing it up again on perceiving 

 that it rubbed against a fish. There are regular stur- 

 geon fisheries, during summer, near Pillau, and in the 

 river Garonne, on the coast of France. Its flesh is 

 described as delicious, both as regards delicacy and 

 firmness. In this country, sturgeons are much more 

 rarely met with than formerly ; the largest ever taken, 

 according to Pennant, weighed 460 pounds. . The 

 fish, when roasted, is said to resemble veal ; but that 

 which we receive from the Baltic and North America is 

 generally pickled. The sturgeon was a fish in high 

 repute among the Greeks and Romans : PUny informs 

 us it was brought to table with much pomp, and orna- 

 mented with flowers ; the slaves who carried it being 

 also adorned with garlands, and accompanied by music. 

 A smaller species, called the sterlet (Acipenser Ruthenus), 

 found in Russia, is in much higher esteem for the table 

 than the common species. The soup of this fish formed 

 one of the favourite luxuries of that gigantic epicure, 

 prince Potemkin of Russia, who, as Dr. Shaw relates, in 

 seasons when this fish happened to be unusually dear. 



