tiV R. .t. TlLLYARt). 573 



probable affinities of Dunstania, but their opinions were not 

 published. Jn particular, I desire to mention Mr. Herbert 

 Campion's share in the clearing up of the mystery. It was 

 through his unfailing.courtesy that I was kept in touch with 

 the trend of opinion in England on the fossil, and from him I 

 obtained valuable suggestions as to clues that were worth follow- 

 ing out. One of the most interesting of these, originating with 

 Mr. Durrant of the British Museum, and stated in publication 

 by Dr. Bather, F.R.8., in the course of a short review of my 

 paper in " Nature,"* was, that the venation of Duiistnida might 

 be compared with that of certain groups of Diptera, such as the 

 Fsycliodidce. At about the same time. Dr. C. J. Gahan, of the 

 British Museum, had before him a small collection of insects 

 from New Zealand, and suggested to Mr. Campion that the fossil 

 should be compaied Avith the Anthomyiid Exsul sing^day'is 

 Huttou, which it closely resembles in the shape and general ap- 

 pearance of the wing. 



Acting on these suggestions, I put myself into communication 

 with several New Zealand entomologists, in the endeavour to 

 obtain material of Exsul. This, however, was not easy to get, 

 as the fly is exceedingly rare, and regarded as a great prize. 

 After a considerable time, I ol)tained two specimens, one from 

 Mr. David Miller, Government Entomologist of New Zealand, 

 and an expert Dipterologist, and another from Mr. G. V. Hudson, 

 of Wellington. To both of these gentlemen I offer my cordial 

 thanks for their generosity in sending me such valuable material. 



While I could not admit any affinity between Dunstania and 

 the Psychodid(e^ I was impelled to study more closely its possible 

 affinity with Exsul., in spitn of some cardinal differences in the 

 venational scheme, which would be hard to explain on any 

 hypothesis. Believing that I had here, at last, a good solution 

 of the problem, and wishing to give due credit to those to whom 

 the suggestion was originally due, 1 wrote to "Nature,"! stating 

 ray adherence to the probable Dipterous nature of Diuistaida. 

 However, it was necessary to carry out a very detailed studv of 



* " Nature," No. 2441, Vol. 97, Aug. 10th, 1916, p. 489. 



t " Nature," No. 2488. Vol. 90, July 8th, 1917, p..373. 



