Tin: in. i M>- HSU. i>7.', 



The skeleton i,f tin- Ix-ptocephalida-. or <ila>s Iv-N a- th.-y are termed. fmin their Kel-like 

 .ha|- :iii'l -in_-ii!ai trallslucency, i- \>-i\ i in | M-I I'.-rt. ni.T.-l) c. >IIMM in_ r ( ..iilil.iu''. :ili'l -" 

 slight that i-xi-ii in the head. where th- 'lenLTth is n^pim-d. tin- bniin ran IN- seen 



through tin- traii-liio-nt skull in wliicli it li.-s. Their IN..!!.-, an- alwax - .-\ti.-iii. l\ romp !--.. I 

 and mostly leaf-like, so transparent that when him; in a \essel containing water ih,-\ would 

 hardh be noticed, and the lateral line is formed b\ (In- intersection of lln- inns. !.-<. 



Tin- I'U.-NOM n lii \ Ki i. may l* knuwn b\ tin- l.-iujth.'iml form of its li.-a.l and snout. 

 which juv far lonp-r in |pn>]>ortion t<i tln> <liin-ii>-i'>ns of tin- tisli than in any otlicr incinlNT of 

 tli.- fainilx. 'I'll.- -- 'H.-ii.- i.-ini ll\.'|.ioin-. lit.-r.illy >iL. r niti"' -win.- U-aki-il. and in foinii-r d:i\> 

 .i- applitil to a ivrtain kind of calli-y \\liidi hutl a long and slightly turnM-up U-ak. Th- 

 -nddt-n hi-i.ulit of tin- Imtly jn-t U-hind tin- ln-al i-* vt-ry ii-inarkal)li>, and on cloHe examination, 

 a row of niiicoii> jMiii-s will 1- found alon^ the jaws and on the ln-ad. The eyes an- not very 

 larp 1 . and the p-nenil leiiLTth of tlie species Is between four and five incite*. Aaits Bpecitic 

 name ini|M>it-, it h:i- I ..... n taken at M.-^-ina. 



Th. 11 MI: -i MI. i n <;i.v-.s KKI. 1- much lonjrer in proportion than the last-mentioned 

 gpecies, and its Uxly i- -.. .\ir.-ni.-ly compr->sed that it is hardly thicker than the jmper 

 on which this account i- printed. This specie* is also found at Medina. The jaws are short 

 and round, the .-\.- rather small, and the tail ta|*rs away to a hair-like jnnnt. The lengtl) 

 of this lish is rather nioiv than a foot, and a row of minute points runs aloiii: each edge of th 



The typical genus I*-ptN-.-phalu- is a i-ither large one, containing more species than the 

 finr jmivtling genera together. 



The |{OI\II-IIKAIH n ii.\-- KKI. derives its s|M- ( -iti.- name of Tjenia, or tape- worm, on 

 account of its resemblance to that nnpleaaont internal parasite. Its head is, as its name 

 il.-n.it.-. -\iori and miicli r.-nnded. and tin- e\.-s an- irloliular. proj.-i-t iiiLT. and extii-mely 

 larp-. The jaws are tolerably well furnished with small teeth. In shape it is long and 

 rather rounded, and the absence of fins renders ita resemblance to a tape-worm extremely 

 striking. It seems to be an Asiatic sjM-cies. having Wn captured in India and the neighboring 

 islands. 



In the ANGLESEY M"i:i:is (Lepto*-i/>finhis morrtei), another example of this genus, the 

 h.-ad is lilunt, the eye moderate, the Ixnly much compressed, and dee|-t at the latter third of 

 it- l.-nirth. \Vh--n livin-. ii- polished -iirface r--tl.-cts i:l.-ain- ..f iride-.-.-nf li-lit as it wimN it> 

 graceful way through the sea weeds among which it loves to sojourn, like a ribbon of animated 

 nacre. Hut when dead and placed in spirits, all the delicate opalescence of ita body fades, and 

 BOOD deteriorates into an opaque dull whiteness like wet parchment. 



THE BLIND-FISH. 



THE reader will remember that on several occasions it has been deemed expedient to give 

 examples of remarkable deviations from the ordinary system, and to call attention to the 

 wonderful economy of nature, which is most averse to wastefulness, and declines to expend ita 

 powers on organs that if existing would be in abeyance. A recent example of such modifica- 

 tion has been given in the proteus, on page 186, that curious reptile, or semi-reptile, which 

 inhabits caves wherein penetrates no ray of light, and which, having no need of external eyes, 

 is altogether devoid of such useless organs. 



The BUM 1-1 i MI of America affords another instance of similar economy in structure. 

 Living, like the proteus, in a subterranean and perfectly dark grotto, it needs no eyes, and 

 in consilience possesses none, their place being merely indicated by two minute black dote 

 on the sides of the head. The head is naked, but the body is covered with scales and the jaws 

 are furnished with some small but sharp t.-eth. Its color is whitMi-gray, as is, in<l.-.-|. mostly 

 the case with animals that have been long deprived of the color-giving sunlight. The grotto 

 which contains this very remarkable little ti^h j s in Kentucky. 



Of the Blind -fishes, family Amblyopsidac, living in caves, three genera are now known. 



