INSECTS OF A FORMER WORLD. f>7 ( .> 



I know from my own inspection of the identical piece of amber in the 

 collection at Halle. In the Greifswald collection I observed two distinct 

 species of Psoci. 



In the order of the Orthoptera, the Blattaria are the most numerous. 

 Berendt assures us that he has distinctly detected some American 

 forms; those which I saw had a greater resemblance to our own 

 native Blaila Germanica, which is not rare in woods. To these we 

 may add some Achetce, particularly small not fully developed indi- 

 viduals. The Berlin collection possesses a piece of amber with an 

 insect of this family, that is distinguished by having short filiform 

 antennae composed at most of sixteen joints, gradually increasing in 

 size, and a short straight ovipositor. It is of the size of Forficula 

 minor, but is still a larva. According to Berendt, there are larger 

 grasshoppers. I have myself only seen a small locust in the Berlin 

 collection. 



In the last order, the Hemintera, we frequently observe Cicada pre- 

 served in amber, for example, in the Berlin collection there are several 

 specimens of a Plata allied to the F. cunicularia. In Greifswald I 

 also saw several species of Jassus. I have never discovered bugs, but 

 Berendt and Marcel de Serres have both observed them. Even a 

 Nepa the former found enveloped in amber. That species of Chermes, 

 Aphis and Coccus would necessarily occur in amber, might be absolutely 

 supposed, yet have I never fallen upon any forms belonging to these 

 families. 



317- 

 Passing hence to the fossil insects that have been discovered in 



O 



recent formations, we will first mention the impressions noticed by 

 Knorr * in the CEnningen calcareous formations, and which chiefly 

 represent the larva; of Libellula and other water-insects. Impressions 

 of cockchafers have also been observed in them. Van der Linden 

 likewise describes a Libellula found in this formation f. The most 

 complete list of fossil insects has been given by Marcel de Serres, in 

 the above treatise. According to him, they are found in calcareous 

 marl, which separates the several strata of gypsum in the quarries of 



* G. W. Knorr. Lapides, Diluvii univers. Testes, &c. Norimb. 175.5 1773, folio, 

 vol. i. p. 151, PL XXXIII. f. 24. 



-f- Notice sur une Empreinte d'Insecte renfenm'e dans un Echantillon tie Cairn ii- 

 -rliisteux. Brux. l!i'27. 4to. av. f. 



] p 2 



