26 [July. 



between 700 and 800 in number — were obtained by the Eev. P. B. 

 Brodie, the Eev. Osmund Fisher, Mr. W. E. Brodie, and Mr. C. 

 Willcox ; and many of them were described by Prof. Westwood.* 



The greater number of these fossils belong to the Orders Coleop- 

 tera, Neuroptera, Ortlwptera, Hemiptei^a, and Diptera. Two specimens 

 from this formation have been referred to the Lepidoptera,\ but they 

 are in so fragmentary a condition, that it is impossible to say, with 

 any degree of certainty, to what Order they belong. 



Two wings of a gigantic species of Myrmica are also recorded from 

 the Dorsetshire Purbecks ; but there seems considerable doubt;}: as to 

 whether they were obtained from this formation. 



Of the Coleoptera from the Dorsetshire Purbecks, some forty-five 

 species have been identified, which are distributed amongst the fol- 

 lowing families : — Hy dropliilidce , Gyriniclce, Dyticidce, Carahidce, Har- 

 palidcB, Buprestidce,Elaterid(B, Tenehrionidce, ChrysomeJidce, CoccinelHdce, 

 Frionidcp, Lamiidce, and Curculionidce. 



The Neuroptera include species belonging to the families Rhaphi- 

 diidae, Panorpidce, SialidcB, Pliryganeidce, and Libellulidce ; and the 

 Orihoptera are represented by Gryllidce and BlattidcB. 



Of the Hemiptera about eleven species have been identified, which 

 have been referred to the families Scufelleridce, Lyyceidcs, Cicadidcs, 

 and CercopidcB ; and the Diptera are represented by the families 

 Bihionid(P, MycetopMUdce, Tipvlidce, and Cecidomyidce. 



A very large collection of fossil insects was obtained by the Eev. 

 P. B. Brodie from the Purbeck strata of the Yale of Wardour, in 

 Wiltshire, and the Vale of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. About 

 239§ specimens from this collection were submitted to Prof. AYest- 

 wood for examination ; but the very fragmentary and imperfect con- 

 dition of the majority of them rendered the determination of the species, 

 and in many cases even of the genera and Orders to which they 

 belonged, a matter of impossibility. 



Upwards of sixty species, however, have been identified, which 

 are distributed amongst the Coleoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, Hemip- 

 tera and Diptera. 



The Coleoptera include representatives of the families Biqjrestidce 

 Carahidce, Hydropliilidce, Curculionidce, CJirysomelidce, Elateridce, Can- 

 tharidce, Tenehrionidce, Heloplioridce, and Staphylinidce. 



* See Brodie's " Fossil Insects," antea cit., and Quar. Jourl. Geol. Soc. Lond., 1854, vol. x, 

 pp. 378—396. 



t See Mr. Scudder's observations on these supposed Leptdoptera, at p. 89 of the " Memoirs of 

 the Amer. Assoc, for the advancement of Science ;" Salem. Mass., 1875. 



I Prof. Rupert- Jones, F.R.S., has informed me that these ant wings were not obtained from 

 " Purbeck " strata, but from the Tertiai'y leaf-beds of Creech, Dorset. 



§ Prof. Westwood figured upwards of seventy of these fossils in Brodie's " Fossil Insects." 

 See Westwood's " Intjoductoi-j- Observations " to the work last mentioned. 



