标题: [长篇小说连载] 追逐 (11) [打印本页]
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-16 15:51 标题: [长篇小说连载] 追逐 (11)
11
五指湖
泰德从后门走出来，先大大伸了个懒腰，然后开始扩胸，压腿，活动脚腕子。几分钟后，只见他在自己的手表上按动了一下，人便象离弦的箭一样，向山下冲去。
从山顶他的泰德城堡，(对，再也不是什么亨利城堡了)，一口气奔跑至山底的湖畔，泰德想象自己是一只自由的雄鹰，一路俯冲，一口气达到目的。
下山容易上山难。所以，他注重下山的速度，希望能把它控制在十分钟之内。为什么？不仅因为他发明了这个最新的健身活动。更主要的，是湖边有汽艇，万一之时，他需要用水路迅速撤离。
这条隐藏在浓密树林中的山间小路，蜿蜒崎岖，而且布满了落叶残枝。刚刚休假回来的布朗夫妇，从泰德得到的第一个任务，便是清理这条土路。
布朗夫妇的年龄都在五十岁左右。三年前，他把经营奶牛的农场卖了，她辞退了餐厅经理的工作，两个人一道被亨利请来做这个庄园的管家夫妻。在这里，他们的分工是男主外，女管内。布朗先生膀大腰圆，聪明能干；布朗太太眉清目秀，精明利索。初次见面，泰德不得不佩服亨利的绝佳选择，下决心要和布朗夫妇保持好关系。因为他知道，在美国，他是没有能力找到这么出色的两个下人的。
得意洋洋，泰德在这条越来越熟悉的小道上飞跑着。林涛陪伴着他，仿佛奏起了进行曲。
突然，一阵阴风吹来，带给他一种无名的不祥之兆。怎么回事？他猛然注意到，虽然这是条土路，但每当陡峭处便有石阶出现，那数目不多不少，总是四阶。搞得泰德下坡的节奏是：一、二、三、四，一阵急跑，然后又是一、二、三、四……
干脆停住，他皱紧了眉头，上下观望，想弄清这条路上，到底存在有多少个四阶石梯？好象是九个？他妈的！一气之下，他给了旁边的老橡树一记拳头：这倒霉的老亨利，一牵扯到台阶的数目，他就是典型的丧门星。房子里的楼梯是十三阶；外面下山的路上要遇到九个“四” ，四，四，四！这老家伙到底是被他自己给方死了。
气泄了。泰德心烦意乱，既没动力也无心情，他也不想算计什么时间速度了。噘着嘴巴，他吊儿郎当地走到了湖边。
五指湖，顾名思义有五个手指。泰德的山庄和领地，就在五指湖中最大的中指湖指尖。他现在面对的这个湖泊(CAYUGA)，虽然细细长长，但是气势憾人。美国海军早己不在这里操兵习武了，眼下湖水平平静静，两岸郁郁葱葱，一付脱俗天堂景象。
湖畔有泰德的私家船坞。一艘银光闪闪的中型汽艇，正在整装待发，它那红色烫金的船名“夏娃” ，被潋滟水光映照着，摇曳起舞。
“好夏娃！” 泰德又一次点头称赞。
西方人喜欢用女人的名字命名船只。想必最初的水手们都是男人，孤独单调的海上生活，使他们渴望着承载他们漂流的船只，温柔又坚强，象是母亲或爱人的怀抱。
“夏娃”是泰德拥有的第一艘汽艇。当他买下“亨利山庄”时，“夏娃”做为陪嫁品，自然而然被转到了泰德的名下。湖畔城堡，没有船只怎么能行？所以，她的功能是不可缺少的。下山进湖，泛舟垂钓，几天前第一次试用她，泰德就手脚并用，新奇得忘乎所以。熟悉“夏娃”需要满腔热情，于是乎，不知不觉之中，他便不可救药地爱上了她。在湖面上急驶，她能把他挑逗得疯狂，忘我。在她的身上，他体验到了一种前所未有的放松，扩展。那积郁长久的沉沉闷气，一骨脑儿，随风席卷而去。他喜欢加速再加速，让“夏娃”脱离水面，飞，他要和她一起飞翔......
今天怎么不对劲儿！哪来的？一条彩虹七色的围巾，正斜挂在他平时垂钓的椅子上，带给了整个船坞一片鲜活，也把泰德的眼睛刺得生疼。足足地吓了一跳，泰德自问：“怎么回事？难道有女人来过这里，是谁？干什么的？莫非是美国警察？”
一阵冷颤，把他下山时冒出的热汗都给驱走了。几个健步走上前来，他一把抓起了这条刺眼的围巾。
如此的柔软，绝对上好的细羊毛。啊！香气，围巾上散发的香水幽幽，顷刻把他熏了个半醉。
“夏娃，我怎么能够忘了你？你整整诱惑了我大半年，好残酷的小美人！”
泰德想起的，是他八年前在哈佛大学培训时，所寄住美国房东的小女儿，她的名字和这艘汽艇一样，也叫夏娃。
这是一段甜蜜而又苦涩的经历：想当年，那22岁的大学生夏娃，长长的金发，碧兰的媚眼，高挑诱人的身材，象极了好莱坞电影艳后玛丽莲梦露。整个的夏天，她只要一回到家里，就是半裸的状态；而后院的游泳池边，绝对是她长呆久留的地方。
那时泰德经常做的，就是躲在他楼上自己的卧室里，身藏在厚重窗帘的后面，偷看她的一举一动。夏娃在池中游来游去，他的两眼就跟来跟去，她象美人鱼一样地戏水，他比她还忙乱，成了被她弄出来的水浪。泰德不想错过她任何一个动作细节，他控制不住自己，就是拼命用凉水喷头，也解决不了问题。而夜晚，夜晚更是不可言状，馋猫饿狗一般，美丽夏娃的倩影，伴随了他无数的难熬之夜。
作为国家公派的高级官员，泰德和他的“同学们”一样，一个比一个更道貌岸然，别提美国人，就是当地华人，也看不出他们内心的真实想法。和其他人又不同，泰德是真正勤奋的，每日分秒必争，他试图象海绵一样，吸取美国老师传授的一切精华。
为了今后的光明前途，他必须要严格自律。可这夏娃实在厉害，他只能认输在她的石榴裙下，三点式旁，而且是完全彻底地，被她打惨了。
他们的卧室紧挨着，这对他是天大的幸事，也是深重的灾难。擦肩而过，他承受不了她混身散发的香水幽幽；每当她走进两人共用的浴室，他都会停下手头的事情，侧耳倾听她的全部清洁过程；至于她带回家过夜的男朋友，泰德更是比她的亲妈还在意，认为他们没一个般配上夏娃的美丽，全是糟蹋她的混蛋狗崽子。
为了能够与夏娃同桌就餐，泰德咬牙包下了房东家的枯燥美国伙食。每日吃着味同嚼蜡的冷餐硬饭，他也心甘情愿，因为面对面对他挤眉弄眼的夏娃，就是他的精神食粮。
泰德(对了，那时他叫李思德)是在临离开美国的前几天，才鼓足勇气站在夏娃面前，打着结巴询问她，她那长年累月喷洒的迷人香水品牌。夏娃淘气地拒绝回答，然后她鬼精灵般地赠送了他一瓶做礼物，让他转交给留守在国内的妻子周信漪。
永远难忘，泰德离开美国的那一天，夏娃没去大学上课，她执意陪伴父母去机场为他送行。临上飞机前，她给了他第一个，也是最后一个紧贴着身体的大拥抱。将自己柔柔软软地缠在他的身上，嘴里唉声叹气，嘟嘟囔囔，她就是不肯放开他。当时，他是那么无望地在大厅广众之下控制着自己，心中甜酸苦辣，满瓶晃荡。夏娃这个小女人太残酷，早已明白了他对她长久的渴望，她试图让他一辈子都受她影响，永远忘不了她。
选中五指湖安家，因为这里距离哈佛大学的所在地波士顿，只有六个小时的车程。还有，泰德把独生儿子李杰克的私立高中选在波士顿，难道没有夏娃的原因？再说，谁能阻止泰德哪一天会重新出现在夏娃面前，把她紧紧地搂在怀里，压在下，他要把她撕碎扯烂，一定要让她声声求饶，不达目的不罢休！
深深长叹一声，泰德顺手把这条幽香的围巾系在了自己的脖子上。现在他确定无疑，这围巾主人使用的，就是当年夏娃最热衷的英国名牌香水。
记得布朗先生提醒警告过他：由于他的船坞是赏星观月的好地点，这里常有青年男女停船靠岸，非法进入他的领地，深更半夜之时，在这里幽会做爱。
但愿如此！泰德决定踏下心来，不再去大惊小怪。就是嘛，一个香喷喷的女人，会是美国或中国政府派来追踪他的警方专业人员，别自己吓唬自己了！至于是不是夏娃本人撞上门来寻找他？他怀疑地连连摇着头，他俩有八年没有联系了，这种可能性实在太小。
把丽丽一个人放去了纽约，一开始他有些后悔，后来发现他重获得了难得的清静。而这正是他现在最需要的。今天，他决定连“夏娃”也不理，只是闲闲地坐在岸边垂钓，因为有千头万绪，都在等着他梳理，要知道找出头儿容易，不好理出尾啊。
走向岸边小仓库中，他取出了亨利留给他的整套高档钓鱼工具。只对大鱼感兴趣，所以他选用的是大大的鱼钩，一个钩上就能套上了两条肥大的蚯蚓。左撇子的泰德，用左臂把鱼杆奋力甩了出去，向前倾倒，他的身体似乎随着鱼线一起飞窜到了湖里。
收步，站稳，望着鱼漂在极远方的湖面上动荡，仿佛在向他点头默契地挤着眼睛，泰德坐了下来，心中又不禁百感交集。
“看来无论人怎么努力，也得不到所有想要的东西。真该知足常乐了，够了！绝对不能再贪婪了。”
他想起了年迈多病的母亲，又开始担忧她的近况，祈祷她能渡过又一个难关。如果妈妈能平平安安地不添什么新病，那么不出两年，他就会安排由李杰克出面，让他以孙子的名义，把他唯一的亲属奶奶，接到美国。
“但是，唉！妈妈的脾气太倔强，也许她会继续固执己见，就是宁死也不出国门。”一直拿她没有办法，泰德知道自己的局限，他从来不能控制和安排自己母亲的行动。
鱼漂继续在水上逍逍遥遥，引来了一只好奇的海鸥，想衔走这个诱惑它的东西。
泰德内心好笑：“没有金刚钻，能揽瓷器活？你一只小海鸥，竟敢来找我的麻烦？我现在是衣食无忧，全然不在乎鱼儿能否上钓。我倒是想看看，你到底有多大的本事？”
似乎听懂了他的话，那海鸥顿觉惭愧，它放弃目标，怏怏飞去。
的确，钓鱼对现在的泰德，纯粹是消磨时间。鱼不上钩，落得自在；鱼若上钩，得而无愧。天地悠悠，他在其中；异国故土，全都奈何他不得。
一家加拿大大雁在远方出现，它们在湖边的苇丛中与泰德玩着捉迷藏的把戏。啊！终于看清了，三只大雁二前一后，护卫着一群毛绒绒的小雁。泰德数了数，一共有十三只小雁。人口太多了吧？难道大雁也实行一夫两妻制，或者，是公雁收养了另一家的寡母孤儿们。他仔细观察，发现一只大雁的确比较高大，看来这公雁的日子是不错，子女多，妻子也不少。
惦记起了自己的独生儿子：“应该安排李杰克到这里来住一段时间了。”想到这里，他一阵异常激动：“六年没有和儿子同吃共住了，真想给孩子烧些可口的饭菜，父子两人一起好好吃顿团圆饭。”一高兴，他随手摸了摸自己崭新的高挺鼻梁，顿觉尴尬。他不得不打消了这个念头：“离婚后，杰克受信漪影响太大，这孩子表面上听我的话，心里到底如何想我，我是一点谱儿都没有。再说，这种整容、假自杀的事情，是需要时间慢慢向他解释的。不然，一不小心，他回到波士顿学校后，向那些狐朋狗友们捅了出去，那所有精心计划的一切，都会泡汤完蛋。”
鱼漂突然一下子沉入湖底，手中的的鱼杆被猛地一扯,弯如满弓，看来一条大鱼上钩了。此时，泰德并不欣喜，反而抱怨这条傻鱼，打断了他的思路。
开始调节滑轮松紧，用来化解鱼挣扎的巨大力气，只听他哎呦惊叫了一声，因为他意识到这条鱼的不同寻常。
仿佛证实他的预测，一条大鱼跃出水面。它有一个长长的扁平鼻子；鼻子下的瘪嘴边，疵出了几根刺胡须；尾巴象鲨鱼一样张扬四散着；而它的身体，不是被鱼鳞覆盖，而是象鳄鱼一样，有行行相似的盾片；还有，它的头部象小龙！
泰德第一次看到了生存在北美的大湖鲟鱼，好漂亮呀，这可是中国中华鲟的长辈！这种长得象龙一样的古棘鱼类，在地球上出现得比恐龙都早。
上一次享用中华鲟是什么时候？有半年了吧，那是一尾人工饲养的小鲟鱼。而现在，送上门来的，是一尾大的、野生的！
“鲨鱼翅，鲟鱼骨，滋阴补阳，延年益寿。”泰德想起了中国的皇族祖训。
不容他多想，线上的这条鲟鱼可是绝不含糊。鲟鱼与钓者的抗争是出了名的，它正在奋勇搏斗，渴望恢复自由。一连几个鲤鱼打挺，它跳跃的高度达到了几米。
到底是湖边长大的人，而且是从小的钓鱼能手，泰德岔开两腿，摆出了波澜不惊的架式。紧紧攥住鱼杆，放线给鲟鱼充分的自由。冷眼静观，耐心等候，待它终于折腾够了，再也跳跃不起来，只在水中做无谓挣扎时，泰德才一付大将风度，紧线遛鱼，不紧不慢，鱼进我退，鱼退我进。哈哈，无论如何，这场战斗的局面，一直在泰德的绝对控制之下。
二十分钟后，鲟鱼终于败下阵来，从一条小龙变回成了一条大鱼。泰德用他的特殊钢鱼杆，还有能承受50磅大鱼的韧性鱼线，从从容容，一寸一寸，将这尾低头屈服了的鲟龙拉到了湖边。
用带柄鱼网把它麻利地兜上岸来，泰德一把抓住了它的大尾巴。一惦，结结实实，身长个大，这条被擒物至少有30磅重。
其实，这条大鱼实际上是个小少年。作为淡水中最长寿、最庞大的鱼类，鲟鱼要长到十几岁，体重大约60磅以后，才可以生育后代，这也是它们在世界各地频临灭绝的原因之一。当然，现在人类在帮助它们进行人工繁殖，但它们的前途还是不能预料。
泰德心里清楚得很，鲟鱼在五指湖区是受到严格保护，绝对禁钓的，而且罚款将是天价。有那么一小会儿，他是想把这条鱼扔回水中放生的。
这条童子鱼在他的手中大口大口地喘着气，突出的眼目中带有一付哀求的神情。泰德把它放在木板地上，跪下用膝盖压着它的尾部，以防它跳回水中。禁不住双手抚摸着鱼的脊背，他发现它的皮肤并不象想象的坚硬，反而非常柔软。而且，它的肤色也不是通常的灰赫色，却是很独特的浅绿色。
不能放弃，放弃这个宝贝便是世界上最大的傻瓜，天底下不会再来这个千载难逢的机会！一望四周没有人，他迅速把这条大鱼放进网中，扛着这个沉重的带柄鱼网，他一溜烟向山上家中跑去。
想起了“本草纲目”上对中华鲟的记载：“其脂与肉层层相间，肉色白，脂色黄如蜡，其脊骨及鼻，并鳍与鳃，皆脆软可食……其肉骨煮炙皆美。”
垂涎三尺，他一路上琢磨着该怎么为自己准备这条鱼。整条做不行，鱼太大了，再说他一个人也没有那么大的胃口。忍痛把它切开吧，他决定先享用它的脊背精肉，用油煎的方法吧，干脆利索，他可以在顷刻之中，完成一道在大陆价值上万美元的鲟鱼大餐。
终于回来了，他紧紧锁上身后的玻璃门，气喘吁吁来到厨房。把鱼放下，拍着手掌，泰德庆幸这天是布朗夫妇周休的日子。
拿出了自小看家的本事，三下五除二，泰德麻利地把这条可怜的活鱼大卸了八块。不想丢弃任何可以享用的部位，他用塑料袋把它们分别冷冻了起来。
待他坐在餐桌上，有酒配菜。望着眼前镶金大盘上的罕见鱼肉，他认为自己是世界上最得意满足的男人。一不小心，他碰到了一直没有来得及摘下的幽香围巾，惆怅袭来，他一个人默默举起香槟酒杯，哎！多么希望餐桌的对面，有夏娃小姐的出现。
“味道真是香极了！我能陪着你一起享用吗？”
女人娇滴滴地声音伴随着脚步声而来，把泰德吓得了个半死。他赶紧寻声而望，一位金发碧眼的美人，已经飞步来到了他的对面。
“对不起！先生。介绍一下，我的名字叫夏娃。”伸出了纤细的右手，她压低声音对他说道：“你别怕我，我是原房主亨利的未婚妻，这里曾经是我的家。”
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 10:13
小鲟鱼
长: 1.15米 (45英寸),重: 20磅,时间: 2006.1.31附件 1 : 
untitled.jpg (2006-7-17 10:13, 9.16 K )
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 10:14
大鲟鱼附件 1 : untitled2.jpg (2006-7-17 10:14, 51.25 K )
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 10:18
New York's Sturgeon
Note: This article first appeared in the August 1994 issue of The Conservationist magazine; it was titled Sturgeon- the King of Freshwater Fishes. Updated June 1999. Author- Eileen C. Stegemann. Last in a 14-part series describing the Freshwater Fishes of New York.
Imagine going fishing on your favorite lake or river and hooking a 300 pound monster. Or perhaps, while boating, you see a seven to ten foot "floating log" suddenly dive beneath the water's surface. Or imagine not being able to take your boat out on the river because the channel is so full of huge spawning sturgeon that navigation is dangerous.
Scenes like these were commonplace occurrences as people came into contact with our once plentiful sturgeon. Beginning in the late 1700s and through the early 1900s, however, sturgeon populations decreased drastically as the industrial revolution occurred and man became aware of the value of sturgeon, particularly for its meat and eggs (caviar). Today, most sturgeon populations are protected and regulated to help maintain or increase their population numbers.
Longfellow's Song of Hiawatha described Hiawatha's pursuit of the great sturgeon Nahma, King of Fishes. The largest and longest-lived of any of the freshwater fishes, sturgeon are indeed the king of fishes. They are enormous when compared to other freshwater fish species. Certain sturgeon species, such as the beluga of Eurasia, can reach 19 feet in length and 2500 pounds in weight. In the western United States during the 1700s, sturgeon as large as 1500 pounds and over 100 years old were common.
Biology
Sturgeon are prehistoric looking creatures that have been around since before the dinosaurs. Unique in appearance, sturgeon look somewhat sharklike with large submarine-like bodies and strongly upturned heterocercal (top is two to three times longer than bottom) tails. They have flattened prominent snouts with underslung mouths and barbels (whiskers).
Instead of scales, five rows of large bony plates or shields (called scutes) cover the sturgeon's leatherlike skin. The scutes provide protection against predators and add to the fish's primitive appearance.
Toothless, sturgeons are bottom feeders. They drag their barbels along the bottom to locate food and then extend their tubular mouth to suck it up. Any silt, gravel, or other bottom materials also taken in is expelled through the gills. The food is then ground by their muscular gizzard-like stomachs.
Sturgeon are extremely long-lived, living to 60 plus years old. They are slow to mature and generally do not spawn for the first time until they are nine to 23 years old, depending on the species. Mature sturgeon do not spawn every year. During spawning, the eggs are broadcast over a large area and left unattended to hatch in eight to ten days. A large female sturgeon can lay as many as two million eggs.
Sturgeon live only in the Northern Hemisphere. Of the 26 species found worldwide, three species of sturgeon occur in New York State's waters: Atlantic sturgeon, lake sturgeon, and shortnose sturgeon.
Atlantic Sturgeon
click for larger imageThe largest of New York's sturgeons, Atlantic sturgeon in the Hudson River occasionally reach over 200 pounds in weight and six to eight feet in length. Individuals up to 14 feet long and 800 pounds have been recorded from New Brunswick, Canada.
The Atlantic sturgeon is olive green to blue-black on its back and upper sides, shading to white on the belly. It can be told apart from its cousins by its long, narrow snout with a relatively small underslung mouth and four barbels.
Life History
Atlantic sturgeon are anadromous, migrating from saltwater to spawn in freshwater. While much is known about its habits in freshwater, little is known about this sturgeon while at sea.
At spawning time, male sturgeon move into the river first followed by the females. Spawning occurs from April-June upstream of the salt front. Individual fish have been known to travel over 900 miles to spawn.
Following spawning, female Atlantic sturgeon will move out of the river while males may remain until the fall. Female Atlantic sturgeon reach sexual maturity at 18-19 years of age when they are six to eight feet long and over 70 pounds. Males become sexually mature at 12-14 years of age, when they are 3.5 to 6.5 feet long. The oldest recorded individuals were over 60 years old.
Spawning sturgeon scatter the eggs across a wide area. The eggs are sticky and attach themselves to stones and vegetation. Following hatching, the young fish remain in freshwater for two to seven years before moving out to sea. As they grow, they feed on a variety of benthic or bottom organisms, including worms, amphipods, isopods, midge larvae, plants, and small fishes.
Atlantic sturgeon are sometimes seen basking at the water's surface and making spectacular jumps.
Habitat and Distribution
After spending up to the seven years of life in freshwater, Atlantic sturgeon migrate out to sea to spend the rest of their lives. Only during spawning season do adult sturgeon return to large costal rivers and estuaries.
In New York, Atlantic sturgeon are generally found in the deeper portions of the Hudson River. While occasionally found as far upriver as Albany, young fish are rarely seen upstream of Hudson.
Population Status
Prior to 1900, Atlantic sturgeon were abundant in the Hudson River estuary, especially south of Hyde Park. People caught large numbers of these huge fish for their delicious meat and for the caviar. Nicknamed "Albany Beef," the once plentiful Atlantic sturgeon was commonplace dining fare in New York's Capital Region.
Atlantic sturgeon numbers have dramatically decreased since then. Currently, they are protected and no one is allowed to fish for them.
Lake Sturgeon
click for larger imageAlso called rock sturgeon, reddy sturgeon, or common sturgeon, the lake sturgeon is New York State's largest completely freshwater fish. Mature adults average between three and five feet in length and ten to 80 pounds in weight, but can occasionally grow as large as seven plus feet and 300 plus pounds.
Body coloration changes with age. Adult lake sturgeon are a uniform dull grey color with the scutes the same color as the background. Younger sturgeon are brownish grey with clear green on the lower parts of the head and body.
Lake sturgeon have sharp, cone-shaped mouths with four smooth barbels on the underside. The mouth is wide and there are two smooth lobes on the lower lip.
As lake sturgeon age, their clearly-defined, pointed scutes smooth out. In certain older individuals, the plates are barely visible.
Life History
Lake sturgeon spawn in the spring from May to June. Prior to spawning, adult sturgeon form groups in deep holes near the spawning site. At this time, the fish may perform "staging" displays that include rolling near the bottom then leaping out of the water to fall with a loud splash.
Actual spawning takes place in areas of clean, large rubble such as along the windswept rocky shores of islands and in the rapids in streams. The eggs are scattered by currents and stick to rocks and logs. Young fish grow rapidly, reaching 7.5 inches by the end of the first year growing season.
Female lake sturgeon do not reach sexual maturity until 14-23 years old and may live up to 80 years. Once sexual maturity is reached, females will only spawn every four to six years. Male lake sturgeon reach sexual maturity at eight to 19 years old and can live up to 55 years. In 1953, a 154 year old lake sturgeon was caught in Lake of the Woods, Canada. It weighed 208 pounds.
Lake sturgeon eat a variety of organisms including leeches, snails, clams, other invertebrates, small fish, and even algae.
Habitat and Distribution
The lake sturgeon is found primarily in freshwater lakes and large rivers in northeastern North America, but can also occur in the brackish waters of Hudson Bay and the St. Lawrence River. It prefers clean sand, gravel, or rock bottom areas where food is abundant.
In New York, lake sturgeon have been collected in the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Niagara River, Lake Champlain, Cayuga Lake, the Seneca and Cayuga canals, and in the Grasse, Oswego, and Oswegatchie rivers.
Population Status
At one time, lake sturgeon were so abundant that they were considered a trash fish. Commercial fishermen found them a nuisance because their rough skin would ruin their nets used to catch more valuable fish species. It has been described how fishermen would stack them like cordwood on shore and either burn them or leave them there to rot.
But as the value of their eggs for caviar, skin for leather, swim bladders for isinglass, and their delicious meat became known, the Great Lakes fishery exploded. Within a relatively short time, population levels plummeted.
The American Fisheries Society lists the lake sturgeon as threatened in all the states where it occurs, including New York State. In addition to overfishing, construction of dams that cut off key upstream spawning grounds, and pollution are also reasons for declines in the lake sturgeon populations. DEC is currently researching lake sturgeon populations in order to ensure their populations are properly protected, managed and, when feasible, enhanced.
Shortnose Sturgeon
click for larger imageThe shortnose sturgeon is the smallest of New York's sturgeons, rarely exceeding 3.5 feet in length and 14 pounds in weight. It has a short, blunt, conical snout with four barbels in front of its large underslung mouth.
Its body color is generally olive-yellow to gray or bluish on the back, and milky white to dark yellow on the belly. Its scutes are pale and contrast with its background.
Life History
While much is still not fully understood about the spawning behavior and early life stages of the shortnose sturgeon, a few facts are known.
The shortnose sturgeon is semi-anadromous. Each year, between April and May, adult sturgeon migrate up the Hudson River from their mid-Hudson overwintering area to spawn in freshwater sites north of Coxsackie. Males spawn every other year and females every third year.
Eggs are deposited and hatch in approximately 13 days. The newly-hatched fry are poor swimmers and drift with the currents along the bottom. As they grow and mature, the fish move downriver into the most brackish waters of the lower Hudson.
Like all sturgeon, shortnose sturgeon are long-lived. The oldest known female was 67 years old and the oldest known male was 32.
Using their barbels to locate food, shortnose sturgeon eat sludge worms, aquatic insect larvae, plants, snails, shrimp, and crayfish.
Habitat and Distribution
The shortnose sturgeon is restricted in range to the Atlantic seaboard in North America. It occurs in estuaries and large coastal rivers.
In New York State, it is found in the lower portion of the Hudson River from the southern tip of Manhattan upriver to the Federal Dam at Troy.
Population Status
The shortnose sturgeon is officially listed as endangered in all states where it occurs. It is unlawful to kill or possess this fish.
A combination of factors is responsible for the declines in shortnose sturgeon populations. During the 1800s and early 1900s, large tidal rivers such as the Hudson served as dumping grounds for pollutants. This led to major oxygen depletion and resulting high fish losses. In addition, dam construction that cut off upstream breeding grounds, and demands for sturgeon meat and caviar also contributed to the decreases in shortnose surgeon populations.
Sturgeon - An Ancient Species
Sturgeon belong to one of the most primitive groups of bony fishes. They're a relict species, having survived since the Mesozoic era, 65-230 million years ago. While some characteristics have changed over time, sturgeon remain basically the same as they have been since their beginning.
Today's sturgeon have a mostly cartilaginous skeletal system, a sharklike tail fin (called heterocercal) which has the upper lobe longer than the lower lobe, and fine horny fin rays. These characteristics are known from fishes present during the Devonian period, which occurred 360-408 million years ago.
Sturgeon also have a notocord, the precursor to the bony vertebral column found in most other "advanced" fish species. The bony scutes covering their bodies are remnants of primitive ganoid scales, scales that have an outer enamel layer made up of a distinct substance called ganoine.
The order to which sturgeon belong (Acipenseriformes) includes an extinct fossil family that dates from the Lower Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous periods of 144-213 million years ago. Rare fossil finds indicate that the current genus for sturgeon (Acipenser) dates from the Upper Cretaceous period, 65 million years ago.
Sturgeon and People
Few freshwater fish species have had such a yo-yo relationship with man. Eastern Forest Indian tribes worshipped these huge fish, admiring them for their remarkable size and strength, and relying on the annual harvest of their meat and skins for sustenance.
During colonial times, most people considered sturgeon a nuisance and trash fish. Certain accounts state that sturgeon were so plentiful they actually clogged rivers during their spawning runs. Large sturgeon that were caught accidentally by fishermen were either discarded, fed to pigs, used as fuel to power steamboats, or used for fertilizer. Hudson River sturgeon were so common that caviar was given away.
Beginning in the mid to late 1800s, North Americans became aware of the value of sturgeon. Europeans considered caviar a delicacy and so the demand for sturgeon exploded. In addition to caviar, sturgeon were harvested for a number of purposes: sturgeon meat was delicious, especially smoked; the skin was tanned for leather; and the swim bladders were used for isinglass, a high quality gelatin used for pottery cement, waterproofing, and for clarifying wine and beer.
Slow growing creatures, sturgeon populations could not take this kind of intense fishing. Coupled with the effects from pollution and the building of dams that prevented these fish from reaching their upstream spawning grounds, sturgeon populations rapidly reached extreme low numbers. It took man only a little over 100 years to jeopardize the existence of a fish that had been around for hundreds of millions of years.
Today, sturgeon populations are closely monitored. Both state and national governments are working together to reestablish healthy populations. Rehabilitation efforts, including biological research and strict regulations with stiff penalties for violators, are helping ensure there will be sturgeon populations for future generations to enjoy.
But while sturgeon populations are being aided by these actions, people must remember that since sturgeon are such slow-growing, long-lived fish, it may take many years before we see populations rebuilt to the levels resembling anything experienced in the past.
作者: 简杨 时间: 2006-7-17 10:19
你的想象让我佩服。
这老家伙到底是被他自己给方死了。妨
一付脱俗天堂景象。一副
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 10:26
白鲟
白鲟 Psephurus gladius (Chinese paddlefish)
鱼纲 鲟形科 匙吻鲟科
分布地区：长江，钱塘江
Distribution: Yangtze River and Qiantangjiang River.附件 1 : 1144684486[1].jpg (2006-7-17 10:26, 15.39 K )
作者: xw 时间: 2006-7-17 11:56
为力，让你的想象把知识和判断力都激活了，怀抱大地。。。
前两天我还想到五指湖大瀑布转一圈的，天气太热，怕孩子受不了。
不过你真去了五指湖区，还怕感受不到想象一般的。这么说吧，有时
候一幅画是会启发别人的观景的视角的。。。
&&&
对么？你那幅千屈菜的照片摄得不好，杂乱无主题的。当然，我也找
不到好的紫薇花形的细照。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 12:07
这幅好点吗？夏天的花儿，开得就是这么乱。
附件 1 : 20060627 030.jpg (2006-7-17 12:07, 185.45 K )
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 12:32
Originally posted by 简杨 at 2006-7-17 11:19 AM:
你的想象让我佩服。
这老家伙到底是被他自己给方死了。妨
一付脱俗天堂景象。一副
谢谢简杨认同。真是这个“妨”啊，我以前绝对不知道。
咱俩胆大，写男人，象是他们肚子里的蛔虫。你看，他们都害怕了，不敢说话，也不知如何骂我们。
目前暴露的又“傻”又“土”的贪官们，是杨秀珠之流，赖昌星还不算。等我“想象”完了，这类“智慧型”贪官们，肯定会一个个开始现身。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 18:06
Originally posted by xw at 2006-7-17 12:56 PM:
为力，让你的想象把知识和判断力都激活了，怀抱大地。。。
前两天我还想到五指湖大瀑布转一圈的，天气太热，怕孩子受不了。
不过你真去了五指湖区，还怕感受不到想象一般的。这么说吧，有时
候一幅画是会启..
谢谢象罔。
在这里继续和你在那线的讨论。
我的老板，育种专家，告诉我的一段话，我一直记忆犹新。
当他手里有成千上万的杂交品种时，他必须要果断，只留很少的。取舍时不单单靠分析数据的结果，有时根本就是直觉。所以你看，育种科学家也是艺术家。
如果忧柔寡断，他会累死，不仅找不出什么优良品种，还会前功尽弃。
文化也是这样。一个民族不能为人类做出positive的贡献，或竞争力不强，就会很遗憾地被淘汰掉。历史上有多少被灭绝的民族？
就是这么的残酷。不由善良人的意志为转移
作者: xw 时间: 2006-7-17 21:35
为力的思想很朴素，说话直，这个很好。
关于这个问题的讨论我想千言万语都说不尽。有一本书，是达尔文晚年
写的，叫The Descent of Man，是英美人类学的名著。望为力有时间
翻个大概。
达尔文后来是放弃打猎，刺杀小昆虫了的，出于人道主义的原因。况
且，他并不象传言中的那么反宗教，毕竟是学神学的。
可他的“弟子”们就说不定喽。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-17 21:54
Originally posted by xw at 2006-7-17 10:35 PM:
为力的思想很朴素，说话直，这个很好。
关于这个问题的讨论我想千言万语都说不尽。有一本书，是达尔文晚年
写的，叫The Descent of Man，是英美人类学的名著。望为力有时间
翻个大概。
达尔文后来是放弃打..
你我都不是上帝，所以只能瞎说，以为我们真能搞清楚？
是要继续学习，我书架上有The Descent of Man，属于那60本GREAT BOOKS (OF WESTERN WORLD)
书虫子，你都看了？佩服。
能交流着就好，不打架。
作者: 白荒地 时间: 2006-7-18 12:13
钓鱼一节写得生动，令人心向往之。真想去五指湖试试运气。
倒是觉得在写泰德钓鱼的时候可以多些心理描写，因为喜欢钓鱼的多少有些征服欲，他钓鱼时候的心理活动描写可以让这个人物的丰满。我想，他钓的时候可能不是只想着如何吃这鱼或者躲避罚款。
作者: 章凝 时间: 2006-7-18 12:22
单独看钓鱼段落是不错，但是。。。
本应是现实主义的小说正在向 romance 发展，作者的笔逐渐失控，被天马行空
缺乏逻辑的想象力牵着跑。
老奸巨猾的外逃贪官毫无恐惧还算脱离现实，坐在家里凭空蹦出来一个美人简直
是匪夷所思了。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-18 13:28
Originally posted by 白荒地 at 2006-7-18 01:13 PM:
钓鱼一节写得生动，令人心向往之。真想去五指湖试试运气。
倒是觉得在写泰德钓鱼的时候可以多些心理描写，因为喜欢钓鱼的多少有些征服欲，他钓鱼时候的心理活动描写可以让这个人物的丰满。我想，他钓的时候可..
真的通过了钓鱼专家？谢谢。
这章我已经把泰德暴露了不少(他很不愿意呢)。帮我想想，你还想知道他的什么？
我也琢磨琢磨。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-18 13:34
Originally posted by 章凝 at 2006-7-18 01:22 PM:
单独看钓鱼段落是不错，但是。。。
本应是现实主义的小说正在向 romance 发展，作者的笔逐渐失控，被天马行空
缺乏逻辑的想象力牵着跑。
老奸巨猾的外逃贪官毫无恐惧还算脱离现实，坐在家里凭空蹦出来一个..
我明白你说的是什么？
可是你想，泰德现在是该有的都有了，(钱、女人、儿子......)，他出来就是为了隐藏的。我必须开个口，这个口是什么呢？外国女人，而且是一位具有挑战性的。想不出别的了，没辄，要不你随便帮我想一个。
同样，丽丽也一样，她如果没有虚荣心，能知遇而安乖乖的，我下面的戏还怎么唱？
作者: 章凝 时间: 2006-7-18 13:56
大致而言，romance 可以随便你怎么编排，怎么花哨怎么来，而现实主义则不然。
写贪官，注定了你这东东是比较实的，并且贴近时代，那么，人物事件的来龙去脉
前因后果，都必须以现实的逻辑关系为基础，不好天马行空的。
你的笔好象不适合写现实主义。我的建议，干脆往romance发展，将他写成逃官的
第二代，这样编造起来比较能够随心所欲。不然，担心你最后整出来个四不象。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-18 14:05
国内有太多写实的贪官作品，狠不得能让读者和贪官一起贪，详细极了。
我想写贪的真正动机，还有，他如何成为一个不合理制度的受害者。
我没有想把他写成逃官的第二代，他儿子是(会给他一些笔墨)。但我为什么不能把他写得“高级”点，“现代”些？
我写的东西，和谁的象？
你的不也一样？
作者: 章凝 时间: 2006-7-18 14:20
不用辩，我说的不过是个人观点。走你自己的路好了。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-18 14:49
谢谢章凝。
没办法，瞎闯吧，你让我走，我就跑了。
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-18 22:22
我认为这张挺好。章凝不让我到处上图，就搁在这里吧。附件 1 : 20060713 034.jpg (2006-7-18 22:22, 84.41 K )
作者: fancao 时间: 2006-7-18 23:50
看了.这花很漂亮.
作者: weili 时间: 2006-7-19 07:53
Originally posted by fancao at 2006-7-19 12:50 AM:
看了.这花很漂亮.
谢谢凡草。
到底都是“草”。 这千屈菜(我没查中文名，象罔说的)，是北美很著名的“WEED”， 野草哇！
到处可见，比较喜湿，多在湖塘边。希望象罔再写一首千屈菜。
对了，这草能吃吗？
那天我列一下能吃的草，包括“凡草”。
作者: 月满西楼 时间: 2008-2-28 03:27
原来泰勒就是那个贪官李啊。看到这里才知道。
西方人喜欢用女人的名字命名船只。想必最初的水手们都是男人，孤独单调的海上生活，使他们渴望着承载他们漂流的船只，温柔又坚强，象是母亲或爱人的怀抱。~~~~~~很喜欢这句话，读着挺温暖的。
另外，大鲟鱼好诱人啊，想咬上一口，就惜吃不着。
作者: weili 时间: 2008-2-28 21:06
西楼妹妹，
我出国20年了，也不认识任何贪官，整个小说全是我的想象和臆构。如果你看到有不逻辑的地方，请不要客气地指出来，告诉我。再谢谢你！
Originally posted by 月满西楼 at 2008-2-28 04:27 AM:
原来泰勒就是那个贪官李啊。看到这里才知道。
西方人喜欢用女人的名字命名船只。想必最初的水手们都是男人，孤独单调的海上生活，使他们渴望着承载他们漂流的船只，温柔又坚强，象是母亲或爱人的怀抱。~~~~~~很..
作者: 月满西楼 时间: 2008-2-28 21:52
我也不认识官，但据说官都很有钱，整容出国，也符合逻辑的。看情况为力姐不会让他有好下场。
作者: 冬雪儿 时间: 2008-2-29 10:20
这个泰德，在国内不知贪了多少钱，逃到国外给别人作贡献。竟然买下了岛屿。这个岛屿的价格应该不菲吧。
泰德连“鲟”都敢吃，可想他是怎样一个贪婪成性的家伙。
佩服为力的天马行空。
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