288 
BULLETIN OF THE BUBEAU OF FISHERIES 
The black drum is recognized by the numerous barbels on the chin, the entire preopercle, and 
the elevated back and straight ventral profile. The young are characterized by four to six broad, 
black bars on the sides. 
The drum, with its subinferior mouth and barbels on the chin, is adapted for bottom feeding. 
It feeds largely on mollusks and crustaceans, which it is able to crush before swallowing. Schools 
of this fish are alleged to do great damage to oyster beds at times. 
Little is known of the life history of the black drum. The eggs and larva; are undescribed. 
A fully ripe male, 37 inches long, was caught on May 22, 1922, at Cape Charles, Va., with hook and 
line, at a deptlvof 48 feet. Individuals less than 3 inches in length appear to be virtually unknown 
in collections. 
Fig. 168 . — Pogonias cromis. Young, 10 inches long 
Little is known of the rate of growth of the black drum. The smallest specimen, 75 millimeters 
(3 inches) in length, was taken with a small collecting seine at the mouth of Mill Creek, Solomons 
Island, Md., August 10, 1921. Other young fish all were taken in late September and during 
October. In the lower Rappahannock River three black drum, 8 inches long, were caught on 
October 18, and on October 24, 1921, a 9-inch specimen was taken in the lower Potomac River. 
During the fall of 1922, at Ocean View, Va., from September 27 to October 27, 20 black drum, rang- 
