44 OTHER SPECIES OF THE FAMILY. 



these latter came from wells or caves, but probably from wells. 

 They are all of about the same size, one and one-half to two 

 inches in length, and are constant in their characters. Moreover, 

 four of the seven specimens from the Mammoth Cave were females 

 with eggs. These eggs were as large in proportion as those from 

 Amblyopsis. The ovary was single and situated on the right 

 side of the stomach, as in Amblyopsis. The difference in. the 

 number of eggs was very remarkable, each of the four specimens 

 examined having but about thirty eggs in the ovary, while in 

 three females of Amblyopsis (all, however, of nearly three times 

 the size of Typhlichthys) there were about one hundred eggs in 

 each. As in both species there were no signs of the embryos in 

 the eggs, it is not probable that any of the eggs had been developed 

 and the young excluded, nor is it at all likely that the great vari- 

 ation in the number of eggs would simply indicate different ages. 

 By a reference to the figures (PL 2), it will be seen that the pyloric 

 appendages, stomach and scales of the two fishes are different. 

 For these reasons, taken in connection with the absence of ven- 

 tral fins, I have no hesitation in accepting Dr. Girard's name as 

 valid for this genus, of which we thus far know of but one species, 

 with a subterranean range from the waters of the Mammoth Cave, 

 south to the northern portion of Alabama. In this connection it 

 would be most interesting to know the relations of the "blind 

 fishes" said to have been found in Michigan. For thus far we 

 have Typhlichthys limited to the central and southern portion of 

 the subterranean region, Amblyopsis to the central, and the spe- 

 cies in the northern portion undetermined. 



In 1853, on his 'return from a tour through the southern and 

 western states, Prof. Agassiz gave a summary of some of his 

 ichthyological discoveries in a letter to Prof. J. D. Dana.* In this 

 letter are the following remarks : 



"I would mention foremost a new genus which I shall call Cho- 

 logaster, very similar in general appearance to the blind fish of the 

 Mammoth Cave, though provided with eyes ; it has, like Ambly- 

 opsis, the anal aperture far advanced under the throat, but is en- 

 tirely deprived of ventral fins ; a very, strange and unexpected 

 combination of characters. I know but one species, Ch. cornutus 

 Ag. It is a small fish scarcely three inches long, living in the 

 ditches of the rice fields in South Carolina. I derive its specific 



* Published in American Journal of Sci. and Arts, Vol. 16 (2d series), p. 131, 1853. 



