984 rKocEEmxGs of the tiiikd entomological weetiX(; 



a small fauna of fossil insects is now known from India. AH these insects 

 flourished in Tertiary times, those described from Nagpiir being found 

 in the inter-trap]iean beds which are found near the base of the volcanic 

 formations, and those described from Burmese amber being found in 

 lumps of Burmite which occur in clay beds of Miocene age. 



The inter-trajjpean beds, in which insect remains were found at 

 Nagpur by Hislop, are found interstratified with the lower trap rocks 

 almost throughout the great trap area, and especially in parts of the 

 Central Provuaces, Northern Hyderabad, Berar, and the States north 

 of the Narbada Valley. They eonsist of thin bands, rarely more than 

 a few feet and often only a few inches in thickness, of chert, limestone, 

 shale or clay, which apparently formed the beds of shallow fresh-water 

 lakes and which contain fresh-water shells, the bones and teeth of 

 animals, and fossil plants. It was amongst the fossil seeds and fruits 

 found at Takli, about 2J mil&s west of the old town of Nagpur, that 

 the greater part of the ColeojDtera described by Murray were discovered. 



Fossil insects have also been foimd in shaly beds associated with 

 limestones and clays at a small village called Kota, on the left bank 

 of the Pranhita or AVainganga, about eight miles above its junction 

 witli the Godavari. These formations belong to the Upper Gondwana 

 groups, which are said * to be newer than the liassic and certainly of 

 greater age than the trias. No insects appear to have been described 

 definitely from Kota, but in a letter dated 24th July 1857, Hislop 

 mentions "j" a Blattid forewing with "deep chestnut brown jjatches, 

 now represented by the dark stains," which came from Kota. 



Further undescribed insect remains have been found in the Bombay 

 intertrappean beds, which belong to a very different horizon frona that 

 to which the intertrappeans of Nagpur and the Narbada Valley must 

 be assigned. I As the remains are only fragmentary and are found 

 associated with the skeletons of large numbers of frogs, it is probable 

 that they represent the excreted food of these animals, as the general 

 conditions seem to show that these beds formed part of a shallow marsh. 



No fossil insects appear to have been found in India hitherto in 

 lock foimationf< other than those of the Kota-Maleri group and of the 

 Nagjmr and Bombay inter- trappean beds, as noted above. It seems 

 probable, however, that a search would result in further discoveries of 

 insect remains in such formations as the plant beds at Ratuagiri and 

 in the Raimahal Hills. 



* Maniinl oj the Geology of India, p. xxxiv. 



t" Steiilu'ii Hislop. Pioneer Missionary and Naturalist in Central India," by G. Smith 

 (Loncl.n ; .J. ilurray ; 1888), p. 250. 



t "A Manual of the Geoloav of India," by H. B. Jledlicott .and W. T. Blanford 

 (Calcutta ; 1879), p. 320. 



