234 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 57. 



age, in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, no less than 244 species of 

 insects have been described, the great majority by Scudder.^ In the 

 present paper 35 are added, bringing the total to 279. This is an 

 extensive series, but is but a beginning. Hundreds of additional 

 specimens have been collected, mainly by Scudder and Winchester, 

 and from their reports it is certain that many thousands could readily 

 be obtained. It is true that the great majority of specimens remain- 

 ing unidentified are small, obscure or imperfect; but while many 

 will have to be discarded, diligent study will greatly increase the list 

 of species, especially among the beetles. New collections will always 

 contain only a small percentage of really fine specimens, but where 

 the materials are so abundant, many beautiful things may be confi- 

 dently expected. The best of the Eocene insects are as well preserved 

 as those of Florissant, with the spots and other markings clear and 

 distinct. 



The time has not yet come for a detailed summary of the Eocky 

 Mountain Eocene insect fauna, but a few points may be noted. We 

 have as yet no really large insects (the largest are dragon-flies), and 

 the specimens average smaller than at Florissant (Miocene) or m the 

 existmg fauna. Beetles are very numerous, especially the Otior- 

 hynchidae (Brachyi-hinidae or Psallidiidae), with 32 species. There 

 are in all 119 Coleoptera described. Orthoptera are represented by 

 five species, Odonata by seven. No Lepidoptera have been fomid; two 

 specimens which looked like moths proved on close examination to 

 be Trichoptera. Diptera are numerous, and include some of the 

 higher families, such as Syrphidae, Anthomyiidae, Oestridae, etc. 

 Several Dipterous genera are identical with those now living. The 

 Hymenoptera are mostly parasitic, including very characteristic 

 Ichneumonidae and Braconidae. No bees have been found. The 

 most striking feature is the abundance of Fulgoridae (26 species), 

 many of these broad-winged and moth-like, elegantly spotted or 

 banded. These Fulgorids have a tropical facies, and closely resemble 

 those now living in the Indo-Malay region. It is noteworthy that 

 19 species of Fulgoridae are recorded from the Jurassic, so the family 

 is evidently not only ancient, but its diversification took place very 

 early. There was formerly a difference of opinion between H. Osborn 

 and Kirkaldy as to whether the Fulgoridae were primitive or repre- 

 sented a more modern specialization of the Homopterous type. The 

 paleontological evidence oertauily appears to favor Osborn's vievv, 

 but it must be said that they became highly specialized at a relatively 

 early date. In the Rocky Mountain Eocene landscape, gay and 



» Five species of beetles come from the Lower Eocene of North Park, Colorado. They are represented 

 by elytra only, and occur in the Coalmont formation. 



