108 TERTIARY INSECTS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



to Hodotertnes or Parotermes ; a nearer examination of the types them- 

 selves would perhaps decide; but at present Parotermes must be con- 

 sidered peculiar to the American Tertiaries. 



The species are all of pretty large size. They may be separated as 

 follows : 



Table of the species of Parolermet. 



Abdotueu considerably broader than the thorax. 



Wings produced at the apex; submarginal vein short; branches of the externomedian vein and 



inferior branches of scapular more oblique than the superior scapular branches I. P. insignis, 



Wings rounded at the apex; suhmarginal vein long; branches of the snbraediau vein aud infer- 

 ior branches of the scanular as longitudinal as the superior scapular branches 2. P. haijenii. 



Abdomen no broader than thorax 3. P. fodinte. 



1. PAROTERMES INSIGNIS. 

 PI. 12, Figs. 13, 14. 



Parotermes insignia Scudd., Proc. Anier. Acad. Arts and Sci., XIX, 137-139 (1883); in Zittel, Handb. 



Palteont,, I, ii, 773, Fig. 974 (1885). 



Head broad oval, of pretty regular shape, but broadest in the middle 

 of the hinder half, the front and hind border broadly rounded ; there is a 

 slight median longitudinal suture in the posterior half of the head. Eyes 

 one-fifth the diameter of the head, situated with the front margin slightly 

 more distant from the front than from the hind border of the head and the 

 outer margin just within or at the lateral margin of the head ; they do not 

 appear to project strongly above the surface. Antennae scarcely so long as 

 the head and pro thorax together, composed of about twenty to twenty-two 

 joints, the basal joints twice as broad as the stem, the others broader than 

 long and equal throughout, not enlarged toward the middle of the antennae. 

 Pronotum nearly twice as broad as long, as broad as the head, the front 

 margin nearly straight with slightly rounded corners, the hind border and 

 sides forming one nearly uniform, broad, semicircular curve ; its surface ap- 

 pears to be flat, or at least there is no median impressed line. Mesonotum 

 a fourth broader than long, with a distinct median impressed line, at least in 

 the front half, subquadrate in shape, broadest in the middle of the front half, 

 and tapering slightly and regularly behind, the front margin broadly rounded 

 to the shoulder of the wing. Metanotum about as long as the mesonotum 

 and of a similar shape, but tapering more rapidly behind, and likewise with 

 a median impressed line more distinct anteriorly. Abdomen obovate, broad, 

 and about equally rounded at either end, in the middle nearly half as broad 



