184 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
Winyah Bay, S. C., July 10, 1915 . — There were taken 37 examples, 4.2 to 6.2 
cm. long. 
Volumetric 
percentage. 
Crabs 18.0 
Amphipods 20.0 
Schizopodous forms 7.0 
Shrimps. 2.0 
Larval crustaceans 3 
Polychset worms 29.0 
Bivalves 1.0 
Fish 7 
Unidentified 22.0 
The inference is taken from this analysis that these fish were bottom feeders 
at this time, as the small nonswimming grapsoid crabs and other organisms encoun- 
tered would be expected in greater numbers on the sea floor than elsewhere. 
The remains of fish consisted of simply the caudal half of some small individual. 
The polychaet worms were represented by several forms of small size. Two small 
mussel-like bivalves made up the molluscan food. The crustacean larvae consisted 
of a crab in the megalops stage. Two specimens contained small quantities of 
sand. 
Micropogon undulatus appears to be comparable with Leisotomus xanthurus in 
regard to feeding habits but is still nearer to the typical bottom forms, in that it 
has developed sensitive pendent barbels. 
Scisenops ocellatus (Linnaeus) . Red Drum, Drum, Branded Drum, Channel 
Bass, Redfish, Spotted Bass, Puppy Drum (young). 
The range of Sciaenops (fig. 43) is from New Jersey to Texas, and stragglers have 
been taken as far north as Cape Cod. It is one of the largest species of the family, 
attaining a weight of 75 pounds and a length of about 152 cm. (5 feet) . In the south 
the smaller fish are esteemed for the table, but in the northern part of its range the 
species is looked upon principally as a game fish of interest to surf anglers. 
There appears to be a regular summer migration of large fish from southern 
waters to the coast of New Jersey, the fish appearing in late May or early June and 
remaining until October. Fish of less than 20 pounds in weight are rare among 
these migrants, and their average weight is about 30 pounds. Small fish are rarely 
seen north of the Chesapeake capes, and the species is not known to breed north of 
Chesapeake Bay. 
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 examples that have been examined are six from 
Chesapeake Bay, 4, 4.2, 5, 5.1, 5.8, and 6.3 cm. long, respectively, and one from 
Pensacola, Fla., 5.8 cm. long. (See fig. 42.) 
The specimen 4 cm. in length already shows the general form of the adult, 
and the scales are well developed. The color pattern is distinctive. In preserved 
examples the ground color of the head and body is pale brownish, somewhat silvery 
on the opercle and sides below the lateral line. A series of five or six irregular dark 
