110 nSDES AND FISHING. 



extensive information on the subject, which I shall en- 

 deavour to condense for the information of the world. 



In Silliman's '^ American Journal of Science," vol. 

 xlv., 1 843, is a full and most minute account of the 

 anatomical structure of these fish, but which would 

 be too extensive to insert here. This investigation 

 was made by Dr. Jeffries "Wyman, member of the 

 Boston Society of Natural History. The specimen 

 he dissected was A^-^ inches long, it had a large 

 quantity of teeth, so that it must be a fish of prey ; the 

 nostrils were particularly well defined, therefore the 

 sense of smelling is probably acute, although he does 

 not make any remark as to the olfactory nerves. The 

 inferior optic lobes very small, not larger than a pin's 

 head, no optic nerve was found. This gentleman says, 

 **This fish, inhabiting a dark cavern, is reduced, as re- 

 gards the organs of vision, to a much more imperfect 

 state than the Proteus anguinus inhabiting the subter- 

 ranean caverns of Illyria, or the common mole, in both 

 of which eyes exist, although of a microscopic size," 



In ** Eraser's Magazine," vol. xlii., 1850, some 

 observations are inserted from the pen of an officer of 

 the Eoyal Artillery, who visited these caves of Ken- 

 tucky : he states that these fish are wholly without 

 eyes — not the smallest trace of that organ can be de- 

 tected externally ; the rudiment of an optic nerve is 

 its sole internal representative. They are perfectly 



