FISHES AND FISHING. 109 



* 



sufficient strength to protect them from injury, but 

 when they grow large, eels very frequently are blind. 



In Sir Charles EelFs ** Anatomy," 7th edition vol. 

 ii., p. 447, it is stated, "fishes have the (optic) nerve 

 arising from one side of the brain passing to the eye 

 of the other side ; they cross, but they do not unite." 



" The Solitary Hunter," by John Palliser, Esq., 

 gives some account of the mammoth caves of Kentucky 

 Speaking of the subterranean rivers of those caves, 

 *' We caught some fish vrith a landing net in these 

 rivers, and found them, by a wonderful dispensation 

 of nature, without eyes, or any organs adapted to the 

 reception of light." 



This excited my curiosity, and unable to obtain 

 from very talented naturalists and zoologists any in- 

 formation on the subject, one of these gentlemen of 

 the very first class, answered, " he had no recollection 

 of any fishes which have no eyes, or their equivalents ; 

 but I am by no means incredulous as to the fact, seeing 

 that we have so many animals, even mammals, simi- 

 larly situated." As I do not allow myself to be 

 easili/ defe-dted, I have written to the proprietor of 

 these caves in Kentucky, and hope to have a specimen 

 af these curious fish. I mentioned the subject to the 

 same friend who favoured rae with the particulars about 

 the first paper mill, and he having great opportunity 

 of research, has still further favoured me with most 



