278 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Little is known about the spawning and life history of this fish. Welsh and Breder (1923, p. 
184) offer the following: “Spawning occurs chiefly in the late fall or early winter, although from the 
size of some young fish taken in Florida waters in January it is probable that some spawning may 
take place as early as September. The eggs and larval stages have not been studied.” 
The smallest specimens (20 millimeters and upward) in the present collection appear to be 
the youngest of record. In view of the fact that records of young red drum are scarce, the follow- 
ing catches made in Chesapeake Bay are given: 
Date 
Locality 
Number 
of speci- 
mens 
Length 
1921 
Sept. 19 
Crisfield, Md 
6 
Millime- 
ters 
24-34 
Inches 
1.0-1. 3 
Sept. 20 
Cape Charles, Va __ 
7 
20-42 
.8-1.6 
Oct. 7 
Buckroe Beach, Va . . 
6 
44-53 
1. 7-2. 1 
Oct. 11 
York River (lower) 
23 
26-46 
1 -1.8 
Oct. 15 
Rappahannock River (lower) 
1 
49 
2 
Oct. 26. 
Patuxent River (lower) 
45 
25-45 
1 -1.8 
Nov. 21 
Crisfield, Md 
2 
48-54 
1. 9-2. 1 
Nov. 23 
Cape Charles, Va 
28 
39-90 
1. 5-3. 5 
July 1 
York River (lower) 
4 
165-225 
6. 5-8. 8 
The red drum has but small commercial importance in Chesapeake Bay. During 1920 the 
catch for the entire bay was 17,565 pounds, worth $280. Maryland is credited with 28 per cent 
ofjthis amount, or 4,835 pounds, and Virginia with 72 per cent, or 12,730 pounds. Virtually the 
entire catch was taken with pound nets. 
This fish is taken from May until October and is most abundant during the spring and fall. 
It is most common about the entrance of the bay, and is seldom taken above Chesapeake 
Beach, Md. 
The size of market fish varies from to about 40 pounds. Fish of more than 50 pounds are 
rare. During 1922, the smaller fish (10 pounds or less) sold at retail for 10 to 15 cents a pound, 
whereas the larger fish were cut into steaks, which sold for 5 to 10 cents per pound. The smaller 
fish are superior to the larger ones, which are coarse of flesh and lacking in flavor. In the lower 
Chesapeake markets the demand for this species is small. The names most used for the species 
in the Chesapeake region are “drum” and “red drum.” Along the New Jersey coast, where this 
drum is a favorite with surf anglers, it is known as the “channel bass.” Along the South Atlantic 
and Gulf coasts, it is an important food fish and is called “redfish.” 
Habitat . — Massachusetts to Texas; not taken in commercial numbers north of the coast of 
New Jersey. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: Gloucester Point, Cape Charles city, “southern 
parts of the bay.” (5) Specimens in collection (young): Solomons and Crisfield, Md., lower 
Rappahannock River, lower York River, Cape Charles, and Buckroe Beach, Va. Larger fish 
were observed at many points, from Solomons, Md., southward to the entrance of the bay. 
121. Genus LARIMUS Cuvier and Valenciennes. Banded drums 
Body rather short, compressed; skull firm, not greatly cavernous; upper jaw with slits and 
pores little developed; no barbels; teeth all small, no canines; snout very short; mouth large, 
very oblique to vertical; preopercle with a membranous edge, without bony serrse; pseudobran- 
chise well developed; gill rakers long and slender; second dorsal fin long; anal fin short. 
154. Larimus fasciatus Holbrook. Banded drum; “ Bastard perch.” 
Larimus Jascialus Holbrook, Icbthyol., South Carolina, 1860, p. 153, PI. XXII, fig. 1; Charleston, S. C. Bean, 1891, p. 88; 
Iordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 1424. 
Head 2.9 to 3.7; depth 2.4 to 2.85; D. X-I, 24 to 27; A. II, 6 to 8; scales 50 to 56. Body rather 
deep, compressed; head short, deep; snout very short, blunt, 3.75 to 4.5 in head; eye 3 to 3.8; inter- 
orbital 2.8 to 3.06; mouth very oblique; lower jaw protruding; maxillary reaching about to vertical 
from center of eye, 1.85 to 2.5 in head; teeth all small, pointed, in a single series in each jaw; gill 
