Vol. XL. February, 1921. No. 2. 



BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 



AUTHOR S ABSTRACT OF THIS PAPER ISSUED 

 BY THE BIBLIOGRAPHIC SERVICE, FEBRUARY 7 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND 



HABITS OF THE BLIND TEXAN CAVE 



SALAMANDER, TYPHLOMOLGE 



RATHBUNI. 



EDUARD UHLENHUTH, PH.D., 

 ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH, NEW YORK. 



When in 1895 the artesian well was drilled at the U. S. Fish 

 Hatchery in San Marcos, Texas, the first specimens known to 

 biologists of the blind cave salamander, Typhlomolge rathbuni, 

 were brought up with the waters from the depths of the ground. 

 The animals were described by Prof. L. Stejneger. For several 

 years after this a relatively large number of the blind salamanders, 

 about 100 a year, were found in the basin of the well, but gradu- 

 ally the number decreased and lately has been reduced to a few 

 specimens a year. 



When the question arose of subjecting this animal to certain 

 experiments on metamorphosis, it became evident that a number 

 of specimens sufficiently large for this purpose could be obtained 

 only through an extensive search in the actual habitat of the 

 Typhlomolge. With the aid of a special grant from the Rocke- 

 feller Institute for Medical Research an extensive study of the 

 caves of San Marcos and environment was made by the writer 

 and Mr. C. A. Campbell, at that time instructor in biology at 

 Coronal Institute in San Marcos, during the months of August 

 and September, 1916. So far as the number of animals obtained 

 is concerned, the result was disappointing. But, on 'the other 

 hand, several observations were made which seem to be of in- 

 terest as regards the distribution and habits of the Typhlomolge 



73 



