The New Student's Reference Work/Blind Fishes

Blind Fishes. The caves of the United States are inhabited by six species of fish with imperfect eyes. Five of them have rudimentary eyes, and in one the eyes are very degenerate. They belong to the family Amblyopsidæ. They are small fishes related to minnows. Their senses of hearing and touch are highly developed and enable them to capture prey. The formation of these blind animals is an interesting problem. They respond negatively to the stimulation of light, and doubtless they sought the caves voluntarily instead of being carried in by accident. There are also blind fishes in the depths of the ocean and in dark places along the shores. See Eigenmann in the Pop. Science Monthly, vols. LVI and LVII, 1900.