The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-04-30
A REMARKABLE FISH.
The TyrhlOmOlEe Rathbuni mt the
Commission Building.

One OF the most peculiar mammals ma
tive to America and probably one of the
most peculiar Of the entire fish or animal
kingdom has lately been presented TO the
Fish Commission in this city. 1t is half
fish and half animal, and can live either
on land or water.
The fish itself is only about three inches
long, and it has name almost as long Is
its body 1t is called the Iyph,omo ge Rath-
buni, and the specimen presented to the
Fish Commission came from a subteran-
mean stream 1873 feet below the surface of
the earth, near San Marcos, Texas. The
fish is entirely white and is totally Mind
not having even the semblance of eyes.
The experts at the Fish Commission say
| that this is rot the natural state of the
| fish. and is only caused by its being shut
out from the light in a subterannean
| stream. When it travels about on land
| the experts say it is of much darker color
| and has good sight.
1t is the most peculiar thing in appear
| ance that has ever been placed in the Fish
| Commission and has attracted great in
terest. One OF the attaches of the Com
| missioner's Office said the fish looked very
much like one of the animals seen by a
| man who had been imbiblng too freely
ing would attest to the truth of this state
| ment. The one on exhibition at the Fish
Commission, In addition to being perfectly
white and having no eyes, has four feet
and a long body with a tail something
| like that of a lizard. One of the most Pc
culiar things about the hsh is the shape
| and size of its head and the fringe OF hair
| that encircles its neck. The head is shap-
ed very much like that of an hippopoto-
| mus. but is somewhat larger in proportion
| to the dimensions of its mouth. The
mouth is large with thick lips while the
| back of the head bulges considerably.
Each one of the four feet is armed with
| long claws and the legs are very long.
| The tail is provided with fin which is
used in guiding its owner when it takes to
water.
| 1t is said by experts that the Typhlo-
molge is distinctly new species OF reptile
or fish. and very few of them have ever
been found. Its habitate is in southern
districts, where it can lie on the sand and
| bask in the sun or cool off in the water
just as 1t suits its fancy. II belongs to the
family known as the Proteodeao, which
| includes the Proteus that inhabits caves
| and subterranean streams in the vicinity
| of the Adriatic Sea, and the mud puppy
which are found throughout North Amer
lea The new species was called Rathbu-
| nj, in honor Of its discoverer Richard
Rathbun, Government expert In ordi-
nary parlance the Typhlomolge Is called a
| salamander, and it is not unknown TO the
attaches of the Fish Commission, although
| the experts say it is a new species. Two
of the fish or reptiles were received at the
| Commission building, and were put in one
of the tanks in the aquarium. They lived
for some time after their arrival in this
city and when they died few days age
their bodies were carefully preserved in
alcohol, and are now on exhibition. Since
their arrival the experts in this city have
been reading up on the salamander anG
they found that the species was rather
common in some districts of the South
A number of them are reported to be liv.
Ing in healthy condition in the stream
discovered near San Marcus. Texas. and II
is probable that an effort viii be made t.
| secure several of them with eyes for tn,
Fish Commission aquarium.