124 GLEANINGS FROM NATURE. 



and seldom but one are seen at a time. When full 

 grown this fish reaches a length of four and a half 



inches. The body is colorless, the 

 The Blind Fish. V^.-, Al 



scales very small and the young are 



born alive. No external traces of eyes are to be found 

 in adult specimens, but the loss of sight is in part 

 compensated by numerous touch papillae, arranged 

 * in ridges on the sides and front of the head. 



These eyeless fishes move very slowly through the 

 water, usually near the surface and close to the edges 

 of the deeper pools which they inhabit. They are 

 wholly non-sensitive to light, but extremely sensitive 



Fig. 30 Blind Fish. 

 (Three-fourths natural size.) 



to touch or any jar or motion of the water. They 

 were readily caught by putting a dip-net very gently 

 into the water a foot or two from them and then 

 making a quick forward and upward scoop. If in 

 still, deep water, they seem to glide, or rather float, 

 on and on, propelled by a scarcely perceptible motion 

 of the caudal fin. One must think of them as ever 

 surrounded by an intense darkness, the prey of every 

 fish-loving animal, as mink or coon, that can swim 

 and see in the darkness, the white skin of the fish 

 readily revealing its presence if the least gleam of 

 light reflects from its sides. 



