230 
STURGEON. 
The sturgeon grows to the length of eighteen 
feet, and will sometimes weigh five hundred pounds, 
but they are seldom met with of so large a size in 
our rivers. Mr. Pennant mentions one that weighed 
four hundred and sixty pounds, which was taken a 
few years ago in the river Esk, in Scotland ; where, 
he tells us, they are more frequently found than in 
our southern waters. They are represented as very 
spiritless, suffering themselves to be taken without 
the least resistance, and drawn out of the water 
without a struggle. Their flesh is admired for its 
firmness and delicacy, and when roasted is said to 
be extremely good. In the months of May, June, 
and July, the American rivers are full of them, and 
at that season they are seen sporting in the water, 
and leaping from its surface to a considerable height 
in the air. The noise made by their fall may be 
heard on a still evening at a great distance. We 
are assured that it is dangerous to pass the places 
that are much frequented by them, as they some- 
times fling themselves into the small boats used 
upon the rivers, and sink them. 
We receive most of our sturgeon either from the 
Baltic rivers, or North America. A large fishery 
has been long established at Pillau, in Prussia, 
where the adjacent shores are formed into districts 
and farmed out to different companies, some of 
which, according to Mr. Pennant, are rented for 
near three hundred pounds a year. They are 
caught in large nets made of small cord, which are 
stretched by the fishermen across the mouth of the 
