1062 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
congregates near the shores and at the months of the 
rivers, and how the dish may be seen in the evening leap- 
ing from the surface, throwing their bulky forms entirely 
out of the water. “At Pier Cove, Mich., on the 11th of 
June, 1871, schools of sturgeons were at the edge of the 
shore iu a few feet of water, and men from the vici- 
nity were in the habit of wading out and drawing them 
ashore with gaff-hooks. Mr. Portman, of Benton Har- 
bor, has seen the sturgeon at this season lying in num- 
bers on a shallow clay ledge at the edge of a stream, 
several of them lying flat on their backs, with their 
bellies upward, rolling and splashing in shallow water, 
with apparent enjoyment” With regard to the spawn- 
ing of our European Sturgeon, to the best of my know- 
ledge, no personal observations have yet been recorded. 
The eggs are at first yellow. As they approach 
ripeness, this colour turns to black. Eggs of both co- 
lours are often found interspersed in the same female. 
The diameter of the ova rises to about 2 mm., and 
their number in a single gravid fish runs to several 
millions. They are said to be hatched six days after 
deposition ; and the fry soon afterwards set out on their 
journey to the sea, whence the young Sturgeons do 
not return until capable of taking part in the opera- 
tions of reproduction. 
The Sturgeon-fishery is naturally pursued on the 
most extensive scale in the countries where the fish 
annually ascend the rivers (for instance the Po) in large 
shoals. But the value of the Sturgeon is greatest just 
before the roe begins to ripen ; and off the river-mouths 
of Northern Europe important sea-fisheries are carried 
on for Sturgeon in this condition, especially in the 
German Haffs and on the west coast of Germany. The 
tackle employed consists of coarse-meshed nets, with a 
mesh 14 — 18 cm. square, and with or without sinkers. 
The net is always loosely attached to the head-line, 
so that in certain parts the meshes run free along 
this rope, the Sturgeon thus entangling itself in the 
net more and more at every struggle. Besides Stur- 
geons the catch often includes seals and dolphins, Sal- 
mon and other large fishes. The captive Sturgeons 
are generally handled with no great tenderness. A 
rope is passed in through the mouth and out at one 
of the gill-openings. Another rope is made fast round 
the tail. The fish is then towed at the end of these 
a Of. Dean, Note on the Spawning Condition of the Sturgeon , 
1 The caviare principally imported from Russia into Sweden is 
caviare of the Sterlet is scarce in the latter country. 
lines beside the rowboat, and tethered, on the fisher- 
man’s return, to a stake or an anchor. The Sturgeon’s 
tenacity of life often exposes it to considerable suffer- 
ings before it finds a purchaser. 
The purposes to which the Sturgeon is applied in 
domestic economy, and the value set upon it, vary 
widely in different localities. The flesh, in many pla- 
ces where its excellent qualities are appreciated, has 
been and still is highly esteemed. There is an old 
saying which declares that a skilful cook can convert 
the flesh of the Sturgeon into ham, beefsteak, roast 
lamb, or feathered game. The ancient Romans decked 
the Sturgeon with flowers, and the dainty fish appeared 
at table to the strains of music. At present the Stur- 
geon is eaten less commonly fresh than smoked. The 
carcase is cut up, and the strips of flesh are cured in the 
said manner. Most generally known and prized, how- 
ever, is the roe, which is usually sold in Sweden under 
the name of Elbe caviare \ To be fit for consumption, 
especially if it is to be kept any length of time, the 
roe should be not quite ripe. The ovaries are opened, 
and the roe is stirred in a sieve, through which it is 
carefully pressed, so as to rid it of the ovarian mem- 
branes and blood-vessels. This caviare requires no fur- 
ther preparation but salting, though it is often com- 
pressed in small bags, especially for transportation to 
other markets, in which form it is, of course, drier, 
but is preferred by many palates. Vjeziya (the noto- 
chord), which finds a great demand in Russia, is not 
prepared from the Sturgeon in Sweden. 
The Sturgeon also yields — though on a far less 
important scale than the Hausen — an excellent fish-glue 
for industrial purposes. This gelatine properly consists 
of nothing but the innermost membrane of the air- 
bladder, washed and dried, in leaves which are cut to 
a convenient size. In this condition, its purest form, 
it is both tasteless and without smell, and may be used 
not only as a glue, but also as the best isinglass for 
soups and jellies, as a vehicle in the administration of 
medicines, and in the fining of wines. In the usual 
process of preparation, however, several other parts of 
the air-bladder are not removed, and the purity of the 
isinglass thus suffers. A coarser glue may be extracted 
from the skin of the Sturgeon, and the offal may be 
boiled down into oil. 
Zool. Anzeig., XVI Jahrg., No. 436 (27 Dec, 1893), p. 473. 
the coarse-grained roe of the Hansen. The finer-grained, more valuable 
