282 MESOZOIC INSECTS OK QUEENSLAND, viii., 



ductiou (1908, Atlas, Plate 1, fig. 11) scarcely does justice to it, and a laicl'ul 

 study of the fossil under low powers of the microscope soon reveals some charac- 

 ters of unexpected interest. With respect to the wings, I searclied most carefully 

 for evidence of scales all over them, but have to confess that I could see no sign 

 of them, tliough the peculiar semi-glazed and llattened grain of the rock might 

 mislead one into thinking that scales were present. But J did discover, in a number 

 of places, distinct evidence of the presence of comparatively large tubercles in 

 the areas midway between the main veins. These tubercles closely resemble those 

 of Mcsogereon in size, number and arrangement. The fact of their presence 

 makes it quite certain that scales are nut present. I next searched for signs of 

 the transverse ridging of the main veins, but failed to find any indication of 

 tTiis. Finally, following round the margin of the forewiug, 1 looked carefully for 

 signs of a coriaceous border, with the result that I am able to state definitely that 

 ^ such a border did exist in this fossil, as clear signs of it can be seen in several 

 places, by the use of careful lighting. Turning next to the body, it was possible 

 to make out fairly defiuile indications of hairiness on the abdomen. The head 

 is certainly not as small as Handlirsch supposes. The part wliich he takes for 

 the whole head is only a small projecting frontal shelf, much like that of recent 

 Cicadas. On either side of this there can be seen a largish oval depression, which 

 is surely that of the compound eye. These two eyes, then, are large and stand 

 wide apart, like those of recent Cicadas. Projecting on either side between the 

 eye-depression and the frontal shelf, there can be seen faintly a short project- 

 ing filament, which is almost certainly the impression of the antenna, and corre- 

 sponds exactly in shape and position with the antenna of a true Cicada. 



The venation of this fossil, as far as it is preserved, closely resembles that 

 of Mesogereon. Sc and R are pressed close up towards the costal margin, while 

 little space is allotted for Rs, and there is certainly no justification for the re- 

 storation of the full four branches of Rs apically, as Handlirsch has shown them. 

 Most of the distal area of the wing is occupied by the four very prominent 

 brandies of M, very similar to those of Mesuyereon. M4 has a short basal piece, 

 and is then bent, as in Mesugereon, at the point wlicre it receives a long branch 

 from Cui (the branch which 1 have called m-cu). Cui, after giving off m-cu, 

 branches again into Cuu and Cuib, exactly as in Mesogereon. The hindwing 

 is greatly reduced and poorly preserved. Two forked veins can be seen, separated 

 by u single vein. The single vein is clearly a part of M, the main stem of this 

 vein being clearly visible. If this vein be M3-4, then the forked veins above it 

 are probably Mi and M2, as in Mesogereon shcphcrdi. The forked veins belou* 

 M3-4 are evidently Cui, and Cuii,, as in Mesogereon. 



As regards Ilandlirscii's remark that the venation of I'alaeontinidae resembles 

 the courses of the traclieac in pupal wings of recent Lepidoptera, it might with 

 more tlian equal truth be said that they also resemble the courses of the tracheae 

 in llic nymjihal wings of recent Cicadas. 



l''r(iiii my study of Eocicada lawecrei. I am Finced to conclude (liat (his fossil 

 is a ilomoptcron, closely related to Mesogereon and less closely lo ihe re- 

 cent Cicadidae. 



(3) There are, in tlic Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., 

 a whole drawer full of Solenhofen fossils belonging to the Palacontinidnr. Tliese 

 are undescribed, but classified as Hemiptera. These fo.ssils wouhl well repay a 

 fuller study than I w-as able to give them. Although for the most part in poor 

 preservation, it is possible to find in tliem plenty of evidence in supi)ort of Ihe 

 Homopterous. nature of the I'alaeontinidae. None of tlicm shows signs of scales, 



