Putnam.] 222 [December 2 



published in the Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History 

 (Vol. x, 1872). 



Prof. N. S. Shaler presented a paper on " The Antiquity of 

 the Caverns and Cavern Life of the Caves of the Ohio Val- 

 ley." This paper, illustrated with a lithographic plate, will 

 be published in the Memoirs of the Society, forming No. 5 of 

 pt. iii, Vol. ir. 



Mr. F. W. Putnam exhibited a number of living specimens 

 of fishes and cray fishes which he had collected in the wa- 

 ters of the Mammoth Cave during the month of November 

 while connected, as Ichthyologist, with the Kentucky State 

 Geological Survey, under Prof. Shaler. 



They consisted of Amblyopsis spelceus, TypJilichthys subterraneus, 

 Chologaster Agassizli, Cambarus pellucidus, and Cambarus Bartonii. 

 Of these the Amblyopsis and Typhlichthys are without external eyes 

 and colorless, and are commonly known as the big and little blind 

 fishes, while the Chologaster has eyes, and is of a beautiful brownish 

 tint. Cambarus pellucidus is blind, and generally colorless, but three 

 of the specimens exhibited were of a light drab color. The other 

 species of cray fish, the Cambarus Bartonii, is provided with dark 

 eyes, and is generally found in the cave of the same mottled brown 

 color as the individuals living in the Green River, as in the case of 

 the larger specimen shown ; but a smaller individual was also exhib- 

 ited that was of the same light color as the darker specimens of C. 

 pellucidus. These specimens, with many others, were all obtained 

 in various parts of the river which runs through the lower passages 

 of the cave, and in the same waters were collected five other speci- 

 mens of fishes that had evidently entered the cave from the Green 

 River, as they were of the same species, and in every way identical 

 with specimens collected outside. They were of the following kinds: 

 two Amiurus catus, one Uranidea (sp.?), one each of two species 

 of Cyprinoids. These outside forms were all in good condition, and, 

 apparently, had thrived as well in the darkness of the cave as had 

 their kin in the river without. Their colors were not in the least 

 faded, and their eyes were as perfect as ever, so far as could be no- 

 ticed externally, and from keeping them alive in the light for several 

 days. 



