76 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
from North Carolina (Beaufort) by Smith (1907, p. 315), who refers to it as a “rare 
drum.” However, during recent years it has proven to be rather common off Beau- 
fort Inlet in water ranging from about 2 to 7 fathoms in depth. Here the star drum 
is sometimes taken in considerable numbers in trawls. Since specimens have been 
taken almost throughout the year, it obviously is a permanent resident, although quite 
evidently more numerous during the summer than during the winter. Only 3 small 
specimens were secured in the inside waters throughout several years of intensive 
collecting, indicating that this drum seldom crosses Beaufort Bar. It is reported as 
very common on the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts from South Carolina southward. 
The species has no direct commercial value because of its small size, the maximum 
length attained being only about 165 millimeters (6)^ inches). It no doubt enters 
into the food of other fishes to some extent, as it occupies areas frequented by such 
predatory species as the bluefish, weakfish, croaker, king whitings (or “sea mullet”), 
and flounders. 
The star drum is the only species of the genus Stellifer recorded from the coast 
of the United States. The genus is represented by several species in tropical America. 
The adult star drum is recognized readily by the rather low head, broad interorbital, 
blunt snout, the slightly concave dorsal outline of the head, and the terminal or 
slightly inferior mouth. The spongy skull, with bony ridges and large caverns 
(readily perceptible to the touch), also is quite distinctive. The body is rather 
robust and elongate, the depth being contained in the standard length 3.0 to 3.3 
times, and the length of the head is about equal to the depth. The caudal fin is 
pointed at all ages. The dorsal has X or XI-I, 21 or 24 rays', and the anal II, 7 or 8. 
The scales in the lateral series number about 47 to 50. The color is plain bluish gray 
above and silvery below. 
SPAWNING 
The star drum spawns during the summer. Young under 5 millimeters in length 
were taken at Beaufort in July, August, and September. The largest specimens of 
the 0-class taken in July (on the 25th day of the month) are 60 to 69 millimeters 
long. These large young quite probably are more than a month old. Only one 
ripe fish, a female taken August 4, 1914, was observed. It seems reasonable to assume 
from these data that spawning begins certainly not later than June, and probably as 
early as May, and that it extends through August. The eggs have not been studied. 
The larvae were taken from Beaufort Inlet to Cape Lookout, that is, along 
Shackleford Banks, some rather near the shore and others several miles off shore, 
in the general vicinity inhabited more or less permanently by the adults. Besides 
the off-shore collections only one small lot of larvae was caught in the inside waters 
where they may have been carried by winds and tides. The indications, therefore, 
are that the young are hatched on the grounds regularly occupied by the adults and 
that no migration for the purpose of spawning takes place. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE YOUNG 
Specimens 1.8 to 2 millimeters long .— The head and trunk are short and moderately 
deep, compressed, and the tail is long and slender, an abrupt decrease in depth occur- 
ring at the vent. The distance from the snout to the vent is contained in the length 
to the end of the notochord about 2.4 times, distance posterior to vent (without 
finfold) 1.6 times, and the greatest depth about 3.1 times. The mouth is moderately 
large and oblique, and the snout is very short. The myomeres are too indistinct to 
enumerate accurately; about 25 can be counted, and only about 5 of them are in 
