PREFACE. 
The following pages were first published in the “ Ameri- 
can Naturalist” for December, 1871 and January, 1872, with 
the exception of the Sjmopsis of the family including the 
Blind fishes of the cave, which was first published in the 
"Annual Report of the Peabody Academy of Science for 
1871.” 
In bringing the several articles together in the present 
form but slight changes have been made, principally in the 
form of a few additional notes. 
It will undoubtedly be the good fortune of some visitors 
to the cave to discover other kinds of animals than those 
mentioned in the following pages, and to observe new facts 
relating to the habits of the various species. For it must 
be remembered that all the observations thus far recorded 
have been made by but a very few of the thousands who 
annually visit the Mammoth Cave, and that no thorough zo- 
ological exploration of the cave has yet been undertaken. 
Should any new facts be observed, or unknown species dis- 
covered, the authors of this little work would be pleased to 
be informed of them, and communications on all such 
matters are solicited for publication in the pages of the 
American Naturalist. 
THE AUTHORS. 
Peabody Academy of Science, Salem, Mass., Fth. 1872. 
