FIRST NOTICE OF THE BLIND FISH. 33 



rows on each side of the body, showing that tactile sense is well 

 developed in this fish ; though it is rather singular that the barbels 

 on the jaws, so usually developed as organs of touch in the cod 

 family and its allies, are entirely wanting in this fish. 



The brain of Lucifuga subterraneus, as represented by the figures 

 of Poey, differs very much from that of L. dentatus and of Ambly- 

 opsis. In all, the optic lobes are as largely developed as in allied 

 fishes provided with well developed eyes. In Lucifuga subterra- 

 neus the cerebral lobes are separated by quite a space from the 

 round optic lobes, which are represented as a little larger than 

 the cerebral lobes, and also of greater diameter than the cerebel- 

 lum ; this latter being more developed laterally than in either L. 

 dentatus or in Amblyopsis. The three divisions of the brain 

 are represented, from a top view, as nearly complete circles 

 (without division into right and left lobes), of which that repre- 

 senting the optic lobes is slightly the largest. In L. dentatus the 

 px'ocencephalon and the optic lobes are represented as divided into 

 right and left lobes, as in Amblyopsis, and the cerebellum does 

 not extend laterally over the medulla oblongata as in L. subterra- 

 neus, but, as in Amblyopsis (PL 1, fig. Id), is not so broad as the 

 medulla, and, projecting forwards, covers a much larger portion of 

 the optic lobes than is the case in L. subterraneus. 



The Cuban blind fish has the body, cheeks and opercular bones 

 covered with scales. As in Amblyopsis the eyes exist, but are so 

 imbedded in the flesh of the head as to be of no use. The out- 

 line cut here given (Fig. 1), copied from Poey, is very character- 

 istic of the form of the fish, but does not exhibit the fleshy cilia 

 or details of scaling. 



The first notice that I can find of the Mammoth Cave blind fish 

 is that contained in the "Proceedings of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia/' Vol. 1, page 175, where is recorded the 

 presentation of a specimen to the Academy by "W. T. Craige, M. 

 D., at the Meeting held on May 24, 1842, in the following words : 



"A white, eyeless crayfish (Astacus Bartoni?) and ajmaall white 

 fish, also eyeless (presumed to belong to a subgenus of Silurus), 

 both taken from a small stream called the 'River Styx' in the 

 Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, about two and one-half miles from the 

 entrance." 



Dr. DeKay in his "Natural History of New York, Fishes," page 

 187, published in J842, describes the fish, from a poor specimen in 



MAMMOTH CAVE. 3 



