THE STURGEON FAMILY.
STURGEON.
STURGEON.
STURGEON.
The principal Fish belonging to this family are the different kinds of Sturgeon and the strange Chimaera, concerning which so many weird tales have been told.
Four species of Sturgeon are commonly known. The Caviare Sturgeon, the Huso or Isinglass Fish, the Great Sturgeon and the Common Sturgeon. The Caviare Sturgeon is the best known in this country, as well as in European waters, and it is the most eagerly sought after by fishermen because it is from the roe of this Fish that the noted delicacy called caviare is made, which until recent years was confined principally to Russia,but which is now well known and consumed on both continents.
What is known as the Isinglass Fish, besides supplying us with roe similar to that of the Caviare Sturgeon, also furnishes a valuable commodity known as isinglass.
The Common Sturgeon abounds in the North Sea and the Mediterranean. It is usually about two yards to seven feet long, but has been known to attain the length of ten or twelve feet.
It is remarkable for the number and form of the osseous plates or scales, which cover the body like so many bucklers. It has no less than twelve to fifteen of these rough bony plates, relieved by projections, which are pointed in the young, and soften down with age. On each side is a row of thirty to thirty-five of these triangular plates, separated from each other by considerable intervals. The head is broad at the base, gradually contracting towards the point, and terminating in a conical nose. The mouth is large and considerably behind the extremity of the nose, and its jaws, in place of teeth, are furnished with cartilages. Between the mouth and the nose are four slender and very elastic barbs, or wattles, like so many little worms. It is claimed that these wattles attract small Fishes to the jaws of the animal, while it conceals itself among the roots of aquatic plants.
In the sea the Sturgeon feeds on Herrings, Mackerel, Cod-fish and other Fishes of moderate size. In the rivers it attacks the Salmon which ascend them about the same time. Mingling with them, however, it seems a giant. Its flesh is delicate, and in countries where they are caught in quantities it is dried and preserved.
The Great Sturgeon, which sometimes exceeds a thousand pounds, is only found in the rivers which flow into the Caspian and Black seas. The Volga, the Don, and the Danube produce the largest species.
CHIMERA
CHIMERA
CHIMERA
This curious member of the Sturgeon family resembles the Sturgeon only in the formation of the gills. Otherwise it seems distinct not only from the rest of the family with free gills, but from all other Fishes. Many strange tales have been told of it in the past; and the Arctic Chimera is the monster of mythological antiquity, which used to be represented with the body of a Goat, the head of a Lion, the tail of a Dragon, and a gaping throat that vomited flames. At a later period it was described simply as a monstrous Fish with a Lion’s head. But now that it has become better known, we are inclined to ridicule these old-time tales that surrounded this Fish with a fascinating mystery.
But even now the strange form of the Chimera, the manner in which it moves, the different parts of its hideous mouth and nose, its mode of showing its teeth, its ape-like contortions and grimaces, its long tail which acts with such rapidity—reminding one of a Reptile—all work on the imagination with a horrible fascination, and we can understand how it influenced the superstitious fishermen of the past who noticed its queer antics in the sea, and were too cautious to give it close study.
This strange Fish is usually from five to six feet in length, of a silver color, spotted with brown. The largest variety, known as the Arctic, or the Monster Chimera, inhabits the North Sea, and another species,which closely resembles it, but is somewhat smaller, known as the Antarctic Chimera, is found in the southern hemisphere.