232 FOSSIL INSECT WING, ORDER FARAMECOPTERA, 



manner for some fiftv yards or more; so that the amount of 

 materia] at present available for fossil-hunting is very small. 

 Mr. Mitchell, a friend, and myself worked through a large 

 quantity of it in one day, the only result being the discovery of 

 another wing of Permqfulgor in excellent condition; this fell to 

 Mr. Mitchell's hammer. The rock splits sometimes with a plane, 

 and sometimes with a conchoidal fracture. The plant-remains 

 consist chiefly of Glossopteris in an excellent state of preservation. 

 Occasional specimens of the small Crustacean Leaia mitchelli 

 Eth., are also found. The fronds of Glossopteris are never closely 

 crowded together; usually not more than one or two will be 

 found within a large hand specimen of rock. Thus the condi- 

 tions are ideal for the preservation of insect wings; for these, 

 when they occur, likewise lie quite free from plant-remains, and 

 the impressions that they have made on the hard rock are almost 

 as good as one could hope for. Against this it has to be borne 

 in mind that insect-remains are very rare indeed at Belmont, and 

 one is indeed fortunate if, as the result of a hard day's work, a 

 single wing falls to one's lot. 



My visit to Belmont took place in June, 1918. While staying 

 with Mr. Mitchell at Waratah, he very kindly looked over some 

 old material from Belmont and Glenlee, with the result that 

 several insect wings were found and handed to me to describe. 

 These will be dealt with in a separate paper later on. 



Mr. Mitchell again visited the Belmont Beds in February of 

 this year. As a result of two days' work, a single wing was 

 found, very beautifully preserved, and almost perfect. This was 

 sent at once to me, Mr. Mitchell being unable to determine it, 

 and thinking that it might turn out to be something good. It 

 is this wing that forms the subject of this paper. It is indeed a 

 wonderful discovery, and one upon which Mr. Mitchell is greatly 

 to be congratulated. For it solves, as it were at a single stroke, 

 the long-vexed question of the origin of the Trichoptera and 

 Lepidoptera: while at the same time throwing a flood of light 

 upon the probable origins of the other Panorpoid Orders. 



As this wing is of such great scientific interest, it was decided 

 that it should be dealt with in a separate paper, while the 



