1911] Cockerell — Scudder's Work on Fossil Insects 181 



SCUDDER'S WORK ON FOSSIL INSECTS. 



By T. D. a. Cockerell, 

 The University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo. 



Scudder was the founder of American Palseoentomology, and 

 by far the largest contributor to the subject. He described over 

 a thousand species, ranging from the Carboniferous to the Quater- 

 nary, covering a much larger field than any of his successors in 

 this country. His great knowledge of living insects, and broad 

 grasp of biological problems, especially fitted him for this work, 

 while the discovery of some extraordinarily rich deposits gave 

 him unusual opportunities. It is true that some recent writers 

 have felt obliged to disagree with certain of Scudder's conclusions, 

 but considering the difiiculty of the subject, it cannot be doubted 

 that he did excellent work ; nor is it by any means certain that all 

 the revisions of later years will be found valid. When we compare 

 Scudder's work with that of European palteoentomologists, we 

 are struck by the methodical and detailed descriptions of his 

 species, the frequent synoptic tables, and the abundant illustra- 

 tions. We are impressed by the idea that he always did his best, 

 and did not willingly or intentionally^ leave things in a confused 

 or imperfect state. The European literature, while containing 

 much fine work is full of scrappy descriptions or mere allusions, 

 which are worse than useless. Even Handlirsch, the most eminent 

 living authority, does not hesitate to publish such descriptions 

 (without figures) as this: "Gryllacris (s. 1.) Kittli m. Fundort: 

 Radoboj, Kroatien. Unteres Miocan. Das Wiener Hofmuseum 

 besitzt ein exemplar, welches ahnliches Geader zeigt wie JJngeri; 

 und brevipennis, aber nur 28 mm. lange Vorderfliigel besitzt." 

 This sort of thing has never been customary in this country, and 

 consequently our literature is not crowded with names which are 

 almost or wholly meaningless unless one has access to the types 

 on which they were founded. Whenever Scudder's species are 

 obscure, it is because they are based on obscure specimens, and 

 in some cases we are obliged to admit that he used too imperfect 

 materials for descriptions. 



Scudder not only made himself familiar with American fossil 



