FIRST NOTICE OF THE BLIND FISH. 
33 
rows on each side of the body, showing that tactile sense is well 
developed in this fish ; though it is rather singular that the barbels 
on the jaws, so usually developed as organs of touch in the cod 
family and its allies, are entirely wanting in this fish. 
The brain of Lucifuga suhterraneus^ as represented by the figures 
of Poey, differs very much from that of L. dentatus and of Ambly- 
opsis. In all, the optic lobes are as largely developed as in allied 
fishes provided with well developed eyes. In Lucifuga subterra- 
neus the cerebral lobes are separated by quite a space from the 
round optic lobes, which are represented as a little larger than 
the cerebral lobes, and also of greater diameter than the cerebel- 
lum ; this latter being more developed laterally than in either L. 
dentatus or in Amblyopsis. The three divisions of the brain 
are represented, from a top view, as nearly complete circles 
(without division into right and left lobes), of which that repre- 
senting the optic lobes is slightly the largest. In L. dentatus the 
procencephalon and the optic lobes are represented as divided into 
right and left lobes, as in Amblyopsis, and the cerebellum does 
not extend laterally over the medulla oblongata as in L. subterra- 
neus^ but, as in Amblyopsis (PI. 1, fig. 1 d), is not so broad as the 
medulla, and, projecting forwards, covers a much larger portion of 
the optic lobes than is the case in L. subterraneus. 
The Cuban blind fish has the body, cheeks and opercular bones 
covered with scales. As in Amblyopsis the eyes exist, but are so 
imbedded in the flesh of the head as to be of no use. The out- 
line cut here given (Fig. 1), copied from Poey, is very character- 
istic of the form of the fish, but does not exhibit the fleshy cilia 
or details of scaling. 
The first notice that I can find of the Mammoth Cave blind fish 
is that contained in the “Proceedings of the Academy of Natural 
Sciences of Philadelphia,” Vol. 1, page 175, where is recorded the 
presentation of a specimen to the Academy by W. T. Craige, M. 
D., at the Meeting held on May 24, 1842, in the following words : — 
“A white, eyeless crayfish {Astacus Bartoni?) and a small white 
fish, also eyeless (presumed to belong to a subgenus of Silurus), 
both taken from a small stream called the ‘River Styx’ in the 
Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, about tw'o and one-half miles from the 
entrance.” 
Dr. DeKay in his “Natural History of New York, Fishes,” page 
187, published in 1842, describes the fish, from a poor specimen in 
MAMMOTH CAVE. 3 
