1 882.] The Blind Cave Fishes and their Allies. 3 



The most important and interesting peculiarity of this species 

 indicates a more advanced stage of adaptation to a subterranean 

 life than that of its congeners. On all the surfaces of the head 

 appear short rows of peculiar tubercles, relatively wider than the 

 papillae of Amblyopsis, but also apparently shorter. They are 

 much the largest about the anterior nostril and on the lower jaw, 

 and are larger on the side of the head than on its upper surface. 

 While the papillae of Amblyopsis are set on ridges of the skin, 

 those of this Chologaster are somewhat sunken within it, and 

 often placed in grooves ; and it is not until they are freed from 

 the adjacent epidermis by dissection, that their full height is seen. 

 When thus exposed they closely resemble the papillae of Ambly- 

 opsis in form and size, and are similarly cupped at the tip. Aver- 



everywhere minutely mottled black and white. The fins are all nearly or quite 

 oncolorous, except the caudal, which is minutely marked with rows of white specks 

 'ii a dusky ground. These ;■ t ions of the fin rays. There 



- usually a dusky vertical bar at base of tail. The dorsal and anal fins are thick and 

 leshy, their height about equal to their length, the former with six and the latter with 



On all surfaces of the head, peculiar tubercles or papilla: occur in short rows, 



unken in grooves of the skin. They are also larger on the side of the head than 



mg a little behind and within the eye. Then follow about eight short, irregularly 



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