STURGEON

a large fish found in several species of differing sizes and values in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, and esteemed both for its flesh and its roe—especially the latter, known as Caviar (which see). The most famous are the Ru ian fishes—particularly the small, long-snouted sterlet, which rarely exceeds three feet in length; the seurnga, resembling the sterlet in its long snout, but attaining twice its size; the o eter, which reaches twelve feet; and the huge beluga, or huso, or hausen, or ‘‘great white sturgeon’’—often weighing 1000 pounds and oecasionally reaching a length of twenty-four feet and a full ton in weight—a fish of that size vielding as much as 360 pounds of caviar. It is estimated that the beluga is not really old until it has pa ed its second century. The most valued of the sturgeons of North-American waters is the ‘‘lake,’’ or ‘*rock,’? or ‘tred’’ sturgeon of the Mi i ippi Valley and Great Lakes region. It averages about fifty pounds in weight but large specimens have greatly exceeded that figure. Others of importance are the big ‘‘common sturgeon’’ of both the North Atlantic coast and coastal rivers—from six to eight feet in average length, and oceai.: sionally weighing 500 pounds; the ‘‘white,’’ or ‘‘Columbia River,’’ or ‘‘Oregon,’’ or “Sacramento”? of the Pacific Coast and its rivers—a still larger creature, which has been known to exceed a length of thirteen feet and a weight of 1000 pounds; and the small ‘‘white,’’ or ‘‘shovel-nosed,’’ or ‘‘hackle back,’’ of the Mi i ippi Valley. In Europe, sturgeon-meat is eaten both fresh (generally stewed) and smoked, the latter known as ‘thalvk.’? The fresh flesh is firm and of good flavor, but a little over-oily. In America, the chief consumption is of the smoked product. In England, the sturgeon was at one time known as the ‘‘royal fish,’’ its consumption being confined to the king’s table and those individuals or cities holding the royal permi ion to eat it. The law still stands though obsolete in practise, “SUCCORY,” a corruption of Cuicory (which see).