Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-05-27
LIGHT KILLS THEM.
Strange Fish and Insects That Live
In Perpetual Darkness.

In Perpetual Darkness.
The cavern beetle was first discover
ed some seventy years ago in an Aus
trian cave. the grotto of Adelsberg.
One specimen only was caught, and.
though its discoverer offered prize
Of to for another. 1t was fourteen years
before second was found.
The cavern beetle has u little round
body. very long legs and absolutely
no eyes at ALL Brought out from its
gloomy haunts into the light OF the
sun ii dies almost Immediately. Yet.
in its pitch dark home. far beneath the
surface OF the earth, IL moves with as
great rapidity and certainty as any OF
its eyed relatives on the upper SOIL
To make up for its lack Of sight 1t
is provided with antennae of extraOrdi
nary length and delicacy. BY means
Of these il feels its way over the rough
surface of the stone and hunts It's prey,
other smaller blind insects. with
great rapidity and absolute certainty.
The cavern beetle has It's enemies.
The blothrus "a species of scorpionD
and the great eyeless spider hunt 1t
remorselessly. Prince Khevenhuller.
who thoroughly explored these caves
some years ago. describes 1t AS most
extraordinary sight to watch by the
light OF Il candle scorpion. absolutely
eyeless. hunting beetle. equally blind.
along the cavern wall. Although the
beetle was several feet I'm front of the
scorpion and divided from il by n ifs
sure in the rock. yet the scorpion track
ed 1t with absolute and almost ap-
palling certainty.
The spider found I'm these caves Is of
lovely ivory white and Is able. like
other insects which inhabit the same
subterrancan depths. to run very rap
certainty as IL it had eyes and light to
use them. Like several OF the others.
1t, too. perishes IL taken out of the
cave. Sunlight seems to wither and
shrivel up these insects just as though
they had been placed In front of Il hot
fire.
Yet. in spite Of this fact. 1t Is known
that the blind cave creatures are de-
scended from others which originally
lived in the light OF day,
An ordinary proof Of this is that,
though no faintest ray marks the diff
ference between day and dar''' = i1
the depths they live in. yet 1t 'eR
ascertained beyond shadow of doubt
that those whose ancestors were noe
turnal I'm their habits still prefer to
move about during those hours when
the surface of the earth is In darkness.
Numbers Of different kinds Of fish
nre known TO live In the gloomy rivers
caves.
At San Marcos. Tex. borings were
recently made TO provide q water sup
ply for some new fresh hatcheries. At
a depth Of 1SS feet q great stream OF
water was struck. which shot up mt the
rate Of LOO gallons minute. With II
came thousands Of tiny. shrimp-like
creatures and also large plumber OF
curious little pale colored reptiles pro-
vided with long tails and each having
four legs. These tiny monsters were
absolutely eyeless. The only trace that
they ever possessed such organs are
two little black spots above the nos
trils.
A similar creature known as the dim
inhabits the rivers 10 the Austrian
caves already mentioned, In the
depths of the Plapina cave. nearly o
milo opd an half fpora tho onfpauco tho
ohm is most abundant. The waters are
fairly alive with them. and when. some
years ago. the Archduke Ferdinand
paid a visit to this cave net was let
down and a number Of the little rep
tiles caught for his benefit.-London
Tit-Bits
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