REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCIAENIDAE 
65 
ous than americanus, but northward (the northern limit of the range of americanus 
being New York) it is more numerous. This species occurs in the vicinity of Beau- 
fort, generally in small numbers, virtually throughout the year. It is taken both in 
the sounds and estuaries and along the outer shores of the “banks.” Its local com- 
mercial value, however, is rather small. It is reported to reach a maximum weight 
of 3 pounds, but it probably does not average over a half a pound in the markets of 
North Carolina. It is caught in the same way as, and often in company with, 
americanus. 
SPAWNING 
Ripe fish were not obtained at Beaufort. It is possible, however, to determine 
the time and place of spawning in a general way from the collection of a rather small 
number of young fish. The smallest young of this species obtained were 10 milli- 
meters long, and were caught on June 20 (1932). On this same date a total of 29 
specimens, ranging from 10 to 62 millimeters in length, was caught. Two days 
later 2 specimens 91 and 93 millimeters long were taken. These specimens no doubt 
belong to the same year class and are the product of the current year’s spawning. 
During July, of several years, 14 specimens, ranging more or less gradually from 20 to 
116 millimeters in length, besides some larger ones, which quite certainly are older 
fish, were secured. During August, 5 young, ranging from 70 to 95 millimeters in 
length, were taken. Fish 91 to 93 millimeters long quite probably are a few months 
old, while specimens only 10 millimeters long may be only a few weeks old. The 
specimens collected in June, supported in a measure by those taken in July and August, 
appear to show that spawning begins not later than April and that it extends through 
May. Additional data quite probably would show that spawning extends over an 
even longer period of time. 
The smaller specimens, 70 millimeters and less in length, were all taken in the 
surf on the outer shores of the “banks.” The larger ones were taken there in part 
also and in part in the estuary of Newport River. The presence of the small fish on 
the outer shores of the banks suggests that spawning may take place near there, as it 
quite surely does in the other local species of the genus. 
Spawning takes place about the same time in Chesapeake Bay as at Beaufort, 
beginning probably a little later, for Hildebrand and Schroeder (1928, p. 291) report 
the capture of fish 16 millimeters long in Chesapeake Bay late in June. These inves- 
tigators also report the collection of specimens ranging from 35 to 154 millimeters in 
length late in September and others in October 50 to 185 millimeters long, all of which 
they believe to belong to the 0-class. 
Welsh and Breder (1923, p. 190) state that spawning (presumably at Atlantic 
City, N.J., where they carried on investigations) commences in June and continues 
until August, and reaches its maximum in late June or early July. They took ripe 
fish in July which were stripped, and the eggs were incubated and hatched in the labor- 
atory. The same authors report spawning early in June at Woods Hole, Mass. 
The information available, then, indicates that spawning begins a month or two later 
in New Jersey and Massachusetts than it does at Beaufort, and that it probably ends 
correspondingly later. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE EGGS AND YOUNG 
The egg and its development . — The following account of the egg and its develop- 
ment is based on the description given by Welsh and Breder (1923, p. 190, figs. 46-49). 
The eggs are spherical, 0.76 to 0.92 millimeter in diameter, and lighter than sea water. 
