Year: 1869




themselves out for the largest smell FISH feed the
records OF history. Talk OF oysters irled. roasted,
broiled and on the half shell, but what Tor exqu-
site dellciousness could equal the taste Of young
and tender oyster sucked ont OF his shell In ten
twelve feet of water 1t was this rare treat the
drum-nsh enjoyed; but If the fishermen OF Keyport
were more enterprlsing they would nave con-
htructed powerful nets pursued the drums cap
tured half million, got back ten millions OF their
clans and oy sters In digested and more sod form
and created sensation in the Fulton fish market
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRUM FISH.


me drum IL large, uncouth, ugly looking nsh,
not often sought aIter as an object of sport, but
sometimes, when least expected, The subject OF the
anglers toll. should the latter be lightly rugged,
ana not ON the alert this singular rover OF the vasy
deep chews the bottom tackle at his leisure, and the
astonished sportsman finds he has 20 rig himself
anew. The black drum when fully grown measures
from thrty-live to forty inches In length and from
fourteen to sixteen IN depth. He spreads from the
back wedgewse towards the belly, which Is some
what nat and broad, rendering it easy to turn the
dead fish upon the belly Tor examination He some


times ne wess as fgh as bars n pounds but
tioD Of one that weighed lol pounds
terrible fellow truly, for the Saddle Rocks and
Shrewsburys. The color of the animal-ior he ls


little better to prey upon defenceless shellnsh-ls
duh silver, like the dross OF melted lead, with faint
skin is inclined to blackish on the sides and back.
The scales OF the body are exceedingly large, stn,
horny ana marked by radiated and concentrlc lines.
They are so planted In the skin that IL is dllcut to
remove them. Under The scales the svery hue is
most considerable. All the fms incline 10 reddish,
more especially the caudal pectoral and dorsa.
Sometimes the space covered or shaded by the pee
toral FIN is pale or whre. The tan is even and the
eyes silvery yellow On the whole he very much re-
sembles sheepshead fish. His name OF Drum
has been given on account OF the drumming noise
he makes Immediately after being taken out OF
water. They swim in numerous shoals III the shall
low bays ON the south side or Long Island where
fishermen during the warm season can find them as
numerous as 1ocK OF sheep, with nothing OF
sheepish disposition about them. lie Is also found
in the kills and OF Communipaw. He sometimes
takes stroll up the stream sous and although con-
sidered dull fish IL takes no trifiing skill and
tivity to capture him. A gentleman fishing IN the
Harlem river in August of 1914, struck one OF these
curious fish and mad lively time seeking TO make
prize or him. On the first pull the line began to
whlz and out with great rapldIty. Finding
nearly ali his hne 800 feet, out he took up his
down the river He continued TO make q tack,
which resulted in his going up the river and down
and up again for two hours and half until finally
the drum was got into shallow water and seizure
made under the gills but he slipped grasp and made
went in the wrong direction and found himself ire
coverably oored upon the grass about twenty yards
from the boat. On being weighed at the hotel he
proved to be over seventy pounds IN weight. A
number OF fishermen at Keyport, in their attempts
to take them had their nets destroyed and
their time sacrificed for nothing; but lots
OF them have been trapped in nets
OF more than ordinary strength. one interesting
native of Keyport resolving That posterity should
have the benefit OF the genuine anatomical formation
OF drums head and jaws, took hold Of the last lot
brought ashore, and having secured the parts con-
tanning the oysters crushing apparatus buried them
In the sand on the beach, where he calculated they
VIII last for endless ages In state Of good preserva
~
drum SO much resembling an ordinary sleeps head
or stripped bass, tnat he contains within him the
most extraordinary formation Of jaws Of any fish
extant. These are hidden entirely from view, and
their existence could only be ascertaned by dissec
tion. The mouth OF the fish has small, fine
row of teeth IN The upper jaw for despatchlng
casual wayfarers OF the hnny tribe but Tor MASKING
shell fish, mussels clans and oysters he is provided
away down apparently In his stomach with an upper
and lower plate, studded with teeth, like cobble
stone pavement. He gets hold of poor unfortunate
oyster and lets him side down to tins mashng plate
IA m hnf rtnr- IN
powder the thin outer rim OF the encased victim.
Enough OF this being removed for the succulence
the juice, and having satisfied himself with
the taste of the soup sucks out the
meat ,a and casts back back the empty shell on
occupies mere second or Of time, so that large
healthy Drum, with fair appetite, can get outside
more Clans ana oysters IN an hour than half dozen
genuine New Yorkers.


CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE DESTRUCTION.


Now, the consequence OF this fearful slaughter OF
the lnnocents must OF course be fe III every house
hold and every market in New York. 1t Is all very
well to say oysters can be found somewhere else;
but where VIII New Workers find the ones they have
been accustomed TO glorify, nourished on congenia
soil, led by the waters OF New York pay and bearing
bewan his awful y disas.ers Pate dhutt1es W viii
disappear from the bin OF fare at Taylor's and Del
monicos: stews and Dreaded fries will mount TO
high premium, and paf shells will be left to the afu


THE PRECAUTIoN.


Vow comes the remedy, after all the mischief has
been done. Had string been fastened 10 brick at
one end ana shingle painted white at the other
and thrown down upon an oyster bed the shingle
by its wobbng motion trying to rise to the top and
escape from the brick would scare two score drum
fish out OF their wits. Multiply the one brick and
shlngle by thousand or so. and quarter OF mil
lion drums would fly in terror of their lives
out OF the harbor: This Is the only remedy
the inventive genius of Keyport has mag
ined, and there is every reason to believe
it is the only effective one for the purpose. Still
this remedy can be applied to the case OF the yet
undevoured Virgnians and our darling hallshels
of next winter. Where drum nsh that have done all
this mischief took their departure for nobody knows
but 1t is generally and shrewdly suspected that they
are operating with vengeance In the neighborhood
OF Sandy Hook.