144 



INTRODUCTORY NOTES ON THE ANTIQUITY 

 OF THE HEMIPTERA, 



AND TAETICULABLX WITH EEOAKD TO TIIE 



APIIIDINiE AS REPRESENTED IN THE SEDIMENTARY 

 ROCKS AND IN AMBER. 



Although it will be out of place here to discuss the 

 sequence of insect life in primaeval times, for such a 

 discussion belongs to the province of Geology, yet the 

 Entomologist who has a particular group under study 

 will be interested in comparing the older with the more 

 recent representatives of that group. Accordingly, a 

 few remarks may be permitted as to the first ascertained 

 occurrence in geological times of the Aphidinas. 



Perhaps the most ancient insect yet discovered is 

 Xenoimira antiquorum, a fly of the Devonian age, with 

 very long wings reticulated somewhat like those of a 

 cricket. Highly differentiated as this insect was at such 

 an early date, we must suppose that numerous other 

 complex forms existed long previous to it, and there 

 seems to be good reason for inferring, so far as America 

 is concerned, that insects were living far back in 

 Silurian times. 



Later on, amongst the Coal-measures and their con- 

 tiguous strata, we find various marsh-inhabiting beetles 

 and forms allied to the Curculionidos and Buprestida?. 

 These remains occur in situations favorable to the 

 growth of large Equiseta and Calamites. 



Professor 0. Heer discovered in the Carboniferous 



