528 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Fish 6 to 8 mm long probably are not over 2 weeks old, but individuals 19 to 25 
mm long, judging from the rate of growth of other species for which more data are at 
hand, may be 4 to 6 weeks old. It may be concluded, then, from the dates when 
young fish were caught, given in the preceding paragraph, supported by the single 
female with developing roe caught on June 16 (1926), that the sheepshead spawns 
from sometime in April to perhaps the latter part of June in the vicinity of Beaufort. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE YOUNG 
Specimens under 6 mm in length have not been taken. Therefore, the larvae, 
as already stated, remain unknown. The small size at which young sheepshead 
acquire the characters of the adults is remarkable. 
Specimen 6.0 mm long . — A single specimen with a damaged caudal fin of about 
6.0 mm (5.2 mm to base of caudal) in length is at hand. This .fish already is well 
past the larval stage, as will be brought out in the following description. 
Body elongate, compressed, its depth 3.4 times in length to base of caudal; head 
rather short, compressed, 3.0 in length to base of caudal; snout short, blunt, with 
rounded profile, 4.2 in head; eye wholly lateral, rather small for such a young fish, 
3.1 in head; mouth small, oblique, almost terminal; maxillary reaching about to pupil; 
preopercular spines present, but very short; vent a little behind midbody length; 
notochord bent upward posteriorly as usual in young teleosts having homocercal tails; 
myomeres about 27 (vertebrae in adults 9 + 15 = 24). The fins are remarkably well 
developed for such a small fish. Dorsal spines very short, about 7 discernible at this 
size (adults with 11 or 12); soft rays 12 (11 to 13 in adults); caudal fin with well devel- 
oped rays (broken); anal fin with 13 rays, the spines not well differentiated (adults 
with 3 spines and 10 or 11 soft rays); ventral fins not yet discernible; pectoral fins 
broad, damaged, apparently rather short. 
The general color of this preserved specimen is brownish, without very definite 
markings. Median ventral line with three obscure dark spots, one slightly behind 
isthmus, another below vertical from base of pectorals and the third one a very short 
distance in front of vent. A slight dark coloration is evident on side just posterior to 
vent, and two dark specks are present on the base of the anal fin (fig. 18). 
Specimen 7.5 mm long . — A single specimen with a damaged caudal fin of about 
7.5 mm (6.25 mm to base of caudal) in length is at hand. A fairly complete description 
of this specimen when fresh, was prepared. It was then about 8 mm long, having 
shrunken somewhat during preservation. 
