STURGEONS. 
295 
Genus Jcipenser. (Linn.) 
In addition to the characters already detailed^ 
the Sturgeons have the snout more or less pro- 
longed and pointed, and furnished, on its under 
surface, with several cirri or beards, which hang 
down in front of the tubular, protrusile mouth. 
The fins are rather small, and, with the excep- 
tion of the pectorals, are all placed far behind. 
The fiesh in general is wholesome and agreeable ; 
the roe, which is of considerable bulk, is made 
into a substance called caviare^ held in high 
estimation in some parts of Europe ; isinglass 
of the best quality, is made of the inner coats 
of the large and thickened air-bladder ; and the 
skin is sometimes made into leather, or pre- 
pared as a substitute for window-glass. Hence 
these fishes are the subjects of important fisheries, 
especially in the east of Europe. The Russian 
fisheries, on the Caspian Sea, are very valuable ; 
three species inhabit that great inland lake, — the 
Common Sturgeon {Acipenser sturio), the Great 
Sturgeon {A, huso), and the Sevruga (J.. helops). 
The number of fishes taken in a single season is 
immense ; of the first species named, three hun- 
dred thousand ; of the second, one hundred and 
three thousand ; of the third, one million three 
hundred thousand ; are considered as the annual 
average. The products of isinglass and caviare, 
exclusive of the fiesh, which is preserved in vari- 
ous ways, and is a valuable article of merchandise, 
are alone worth more than 100,000/. per annum. 
We have said that these fishes attain large 
dimensions ; the Common Sturgeon, which oc- 
casionally ascends the rivers of this country, has 
