190 The Oitawa Naturalist. 



FOSSIL INSECTS FROM THE LEDA CLAYS OF OTTAWA 



AND VICINITY. 



By II. M. Ami. 



(Read before the Club, Dec. 20th. 1894.) 



Fossil Insects are of rare occurrence in the calcareous 

 nodules or concretions of the ' Leda clay' formation (Pleistocene) about 

 Ottawa. So far, we know of only four species, all of which were 

 described as new species by the eminent authority, Dr. S. H. Scudder 

 of Cambridge Mass. to whose facile pen the world is greatly indebted 

 for valuable contributions to Paloeo-Entomology. Three of these species 

 were discovered by the writer and one by Sir William Dawson. They 

 all came from nodules collected along the south bank of the Ottawa 

 River, below Ottawa City, and form an interesting series to which 

 will no doubt be added a great many more when the fauna of these 

 rocks is better understood. 



The first three species of fossil insects described by Dr. Scudder 

 were Coleoptera. 



(1) Fornax ledensis, Scudder. This species was the first fossil 

 insect found in the calcareous nodules of Green's Creek and was 

 described by Dr. Scudder in one of the reports the Geological Survey 

 of Canada published in 1894. * 



It was associated with Mal'olus vil/osus, Cuv. or capeling, the most 

 abundant fossil fLh in the nodules at the same locality. 



(2} Tenebrio calcu left si's, Scudder. t 



ompared with Tenebrio molitor which occurs in 

 North America from Nova Scotia to Mexico and is also found in 

 ka. 

 1 ;) Byrrhui Oftawaensis, Scudder 



'anea '/eta. Scudder. The fourth fossil insect 

 discovered in the " I da I !lay belongs to the Neuroptera. It is a 

 caddis-fly found by the writer in a nodule a :ek, Ottawa R., 



and has only just recentl) been described by Dr. Scuddei in the 

 ladian Record ol Science, Montreal 

 I am indebted to the Editor of the (Jan. Rec. of Science for 

 advani ; of. the description of this fossil insect, also for the block 



nlrib. to 1 an. Pal., Vol II pt. 2. p 39, PI. [II, figs, jand 4, < >ttawa, 1 So 1. 



1 luC. ( it. |.. 31, H. 1 II. figs. I and 6. 



it. pp. 40 and 41, PI. 1 1 . figs 6 11 



