HABITS OF THE BLIND FISH. 
37 
Wyman of the fish found in the stomach of the blind fish, showing 
the position of the dorsal fin to be the same as in the fish commonly 
called mud fish in the fresh waters of the Middle, Western and 
Southern States, perhaps, indicates the fish with eyes to be a spe- 
cies of Melanura* This fish is called mud fish from the habit it has 
of burying itself in the mud, tail first, -j- to the depth of two to four 
inches, and of remaining buried in the mud in our western ditches 
during a time of drought. This habit, perhaps, in a measure fits 
it for a subterranean life. The occurrence of a fish belonging 
to the same family with the blind fish, but with well developed 
eyes,dn the subterranean streams in Alabama, as mentioned further 
on and figured on PL 2, fig. 4, however, renders it probable that the 
cave fish with eyes may be the same or an allied species, and the 
drawing by Prof. Wyman would answer equally as well for it. 
The fact that the Amblyopsis succeeded in catching a fish of, 
probably, very rapid and darting movements, shows that the tactile 
sense is well developed and that the blind fish must be very active 
in the pursuit of its prey ; probably guided by the movement 
which the latter makes in the water so sensibly infiuencing the del- 
icate tactile organs of the* blind fish that it is enabled to follow 
rapidly, while the pursued, not having the sense of touch so fully 
developed, is constantl}^ encountering obstacles in the darkness. 
In describing the habits of the blind fish Dr. Tellkampf says : — 
“It is found solitary, and is very difficult to be caught, since it 
requires the greatest caution to bring the net beneath them with- 
out driving them away. At the slightest motion of the water they 
dart off a short distance and usually stop. Then is the time to 
follow them rapidly with a net and lift them out of water. They 
are mostly found near stones or rocks which lie upon the bottom, 
but seldom near the surface of the water.” 
Prof. Cope, in describing the habits of the blind fish which he 
* Dr. Gunther considers the genus Melaniira of this country to he synonymous with 
Fig. 2. Umbla of Europe. In each 
country only one species has 
been as yet satisfactorily de- 
scribed. 
t See the interesting notes 
on the habits of the mud min- 
now, by Dr. Abbott in Amer- 
ican Naturalist, Vol. 4, pages 
Mud fish {Melanura Hmi). |07 and 388, with figure of 
the fish on page 385, which we here reproduce for comparison. 
