INVERTEBRATES OF THE CAVERN 177 



fully determined. In many cases they gathered on 

 fresh meat of rabbits, wood rats, and dead cave mice 

 left for bait to attract other insects, and apparently 

 ate the meat and the vegetable contents of the rabbit 

 stomachs and intestines. Seemingly they are 

 scavengers. 



In turn they are eaten by the cave mouse, Peromys- 

 cus leucopus tornillo, and often form the principal food 

 found in its stomach. They may also be eaten to some 

 extent by the ring-tail, Bassariscus astutus flavus, and 

 so have a considerable influence on the larger life of the 

 cave. 



The white cave-crickets (Ceutophilus longipes Cau- 

 dell) are slightly smaller than the brown ones, with 

 relatively longer legs, and much paler colors. The 

 body is of a transparent whitish color, and the eyes 

 mere black specks, which seem to be structurally nor- 

 mal. However, as the crickets live mainly in the lower 

 levels of the cave beyond any possible trace of light, 

 the eyes may possibly be functionless. They seem to 

 have no power of sight in the light of the lantern, but 

 were sensitive to vibrations of a footstep or of a hand 

 waved rapidly in the air near them. The very long 

 and slender antennae are always waving in the air, or 

 touching the ground or objects far in advance of the 

 body, and doubtless convey to the small cricket-mind 

 whatever sensation is important to it. 



These ghosts of crickets are frequently seen along the 

 trails in the farthest rooms^ of the cave, where only 

 slight traces of organic matter are to be found. Still 

 the transparent bodies usually show specks of opaque 



