536 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
SPAWNING 
According to Ryder (1887, p. 521) the spadefish spawns in Chesapeake Bay 
during the latter part of June and the early part of July. Hildebrand and Schroeder 
(1928, p. 307) stated, “Fish with well-developed roe were taken at Crisfield, Md., 
on May 26, 1916,” and Smith (1907, p. 335) said “At Beaufort, ripe male and female 
fish have been found early in June.” We can add to these observations only that we 
saw some females with developing roe at Beaufort on May 25, 1916. 
The eggs either were not taken, or not recognized if taken, during the investigation 
at Beaufort. The scarcity of the young locally indicates that the vicinity of Beaufort 
is not an important spawning area. 
The smallest larva caught, which is about 2.5 mm long, was taken July 11 (1929). 
The next smallest one, which is about 4.25 mm long, was caught July 12 (1915); 
another small one, 9 mm long, was taken July 9 (1930); and still another one, 17 mm 
long, August 16 (1916). Larger young were taken locally in 1930 as follows: 10, 
ranging in length from 49 to 62 mm, August 23; 21, varying in length from 57 to 86 
mm, from September 4 to 16; and 1 each on October 18 and 21, respectively, 72 and 
74 mm long. These young no doubt are all in their first summer. Their size, espe- 
cially that of the smallest ones, suggests that at Beaufort spawning takes place at 
least during June, as indicated also by the few observations of ripe and ripening fish 
reported in a preceding paragraph. A definite determination of the duration of 
spawning, however, remains for future determination. 
The 3 smallest young were all taken at sea, suggesting that the fish may spawn 
offshore. Offshore spawning is indicated, furthermore, by the absence of small 
fish under about 15 mm in length, in the extensive and thorough collecting done in the 
inside waters in the vicinity of Beaufort. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE YOUNG 
Specimen about 2.5 mm long . — A single specimen of this size is at hand. The 
body is deep anteriorly, decreasing greatly in depth just posterior to the vent, the 
greatest depth being contained 1.9 times in the length to the end of the notochord. 
The head is very deep, with a steep profile, which is slightly concave just above upper 
jaw. The snout is short and blunt, and not quite as long as the eye. The mouth is 
strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly being on a level with the middle of the eye, and 
the maxillary reaches opposite the posterior margin of the pupil. The preopercular 
margin is provided with a few prominent spines, and a sharp transparent dermal 
crest is present on the occiput. The notochord remains straight. The primitive 
vertical fin membranes persist and contain only slight indications of rays where the 
soft dorsal, caudal, and anal develop later in life. The ventral fins are not evident, 
but the pectorals are short and broad. 
The general color of the preserved specimen is pale gray. Several dark chro- 
ma tophores are present on the chest and the abdomen, and also a few on the gill 
covers (fig. 24). 
This specimen resembles the largest larvae described by Ryder (1S87, p. 522) in 
having a deep body, which seems to have grown much deeper in the older fish herein 
described. It, also, resembles the younger fish in the steep anterior profile and 
oblique mouth. The younger larvae had dark chromatophores on the abdomen, 
which have been retained by the older one at hand. However, no indications of dark 
chromatophores, suggesting bands (one above the base of the pectoral and another at 
midcaudal length), described and illustrated for the younger larvae by Ryder, are 
evident in the fish before us. Ryder does not mention nor illustrate a dermal ridge 
