194 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
May, N. J., on August 8, 1916, shows a modal length of 4 cm. (1^ inches), with 
extremes of 2.5 and 9 cm., and seven samples from Chesapeake Bay, September 12, 
1916, range in length from 9 to 14 cm. 
Growth falls off rapidly in the autumn and practically ceases during the winter. 
From examination of the scales of a small series of New Jersey examples it appears 
that the species attains a modal length of about 12 cm. (4f inches) the first winter, 
the majority being between 10 and 15 cm. (4 and 6 inches) in length. In the 
second winter the modal length is about 25 cm. (10 inches), and in the third winter 
about 35 cm. (13f inches). Maturity is reached during the third or fourth summer; 
that is, at the age of 2 or 3 years. The males appear to mature earlier than the 
females, and while many ripe males 2 years old are taken, it is probable that the 
females seldom spawn until 3 years old. 
The following four lists of the food of Menticirrhus saxatilis give the various 
items in terms of volumetric percentage. The range of standard lengths of the 
individuals is given in all cases. 
Atlantic City, N. J '., August, 1920. — Of nine samples, 20 to 24 cm. in length, 
taken in a pound net five were empty. 
Volumetric 
percentage. 
Shrimps 81 
Amphipods 6 
Polychset worms 13 
Sewell’s Point, Cape May, N.J., August 8, 1916. — There were taken along the 
beach in a seine 21 examples, 1.9 to 7.2 cm. in standard length. 
Volumetric 
percentage. 
Shrimps 9 
Amphipods 30 
Schizopodous forms 9 
Isopods 5 
Larval crustaceans 2 
Total crustaceans 55 
Polychaet worms 19 
Unidentified material 26 
The two largest individuals that contained identifiable material (5.6 and 7.2 
cm.) had fed entirely on shrimps and none was found in any of the others. This 
correlation of type of food and size of individual is, apparently, merely a case of the 
larger fish being able to negotiate more bulky organisms. The larval crustacean 
was probably the megalops of some crab. A few grains of sand were found in the 
stomachs of two examples. 
Davis Neck Beach, Falmouth, Mass., August 3, 1892. — Of 17 examples, 2.4 to 
7.4 cm. long, 4 were empty. 
Volumetric 
percentage. 
Shrimps 42 
Schizopodous forms 42 
Unidentified material 16 
