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Pomona College, Claremont, California 38 
ically more primitive Coleoptera genuina could not represent the ancestral condition 
of the group since the fossil remains of the more highly specialized Rhynchophora ante- 
dated them geologically. Later, however, discoveries of earlier Coleoptera genuina 
completely vindicated comparative anatomy, and showed that the lack of known 
remains of earlier Coleoptera genuina was merely due to the incompleteness of the 
paleontological record—and I cannot help feeling that the same will hold true in 
the case of the Dermaptera. The Dermaptera are not nearly as numerous as the 
Coleoptera, and, since the preservation of fossil remains is so largely a matter of 
chance (as is their discovery also), it is merely to be expected that fewer Dermaptera 
than Coleoptera will be discovered, and their apparent absence in the older strata 
will doubtless prove to be simply a case of incompleteness of our record, rather than 
a case of their not occurring in a period contemporaneous with, or antecedent to, the 
appearance of the Coleoptera upon the scene. 
In Psyche, Vol. 25, page 4, it was stated that the Coleoptera should be included 
in the superorder Panplecoptera, and that the Strepsiptera might possibly be included 
with them also. I have recently examined some Strepsipteron material, however, 
which would indicate that the closest affinities of the Strepsiptera are with the Hemip- 
teroid insects and other forms descended from Psocid-like or Neuroptera-like forebears; 
so that until more details of Strepsipteron anatomy, and the range of variation in the 
group, are known it is preferable to reserve opinion in the matter of their closest 
affinities, until all of the available evidence on the subject is forthcoming. 
As to the relationships of the other orders of living winged insects, they might 
he grouped into five main superorders as follows: the Panneuroptera, comprising the 
 Siphonaptera and Diptera, the Mecoptera, Neuroptera, Hymenoptera, Trichoptera and 
Lepidoptera with their allies; the Panhomoptera comprising the Psocide, Mallophaga, 
Thysanoptera, Anopleura, Hemiptera and Homoptera with their allies; the Panplecop- 
tera including the Coleoptera, Dermaptera, Embiidz, Plecoptera and their relatives; the 
Panorthoptera, comprising the “Locustide,”’ Gryllide, “Acridide,” Tridactylide, Phas- 
mids, Grylloblattids and their relatives; and the Panisoptera, comprising the Blattide, 
Mantida, Zoraptera and Isoptera, with their immediate relatives. The Odonata and 
Ephemerida were formerly grouped in a sixth superorder, the Panplectoptera, but they 
have not a great deal in common, and there is some question in my mind whether the 
Ephemerida should be placed here, or with the Plecopteron group, with which they 
also have certain features in common. The Ephemerida likewise resemble certain 
tossil Paleodictyoptera in many respects, and it is also possible that these should be 
grouped together; but until more is known concerning the anatomical details of these 
fossil forms, it is impossible to place them correctly, since the study of the wing vena- 
tion, or any one set of structures, is entirely inadequqate evidence upon which to 
base one’s conclusions. : 
There are a few orders of insects which are extremely difhcult to place defin- 
itely. Thus, the Tenthredinoid Hymenoptera have a surprisingly large number of 
features in common with the Mecoptera (e.g. male genitalia, thoracic sclerites, head 
and mouth parts, etc.) and it is very probable that they should be grouped in the same 
super order with the Mecoptera; but these Hymenoptera likewise exhibit a number of 
features in common with the Psocide, thus making it extremely difficult to determine 
their exact afhnities. The other order of living winged insects not accounted for is 
the Strepsiptera, and these are even more difhcult to place. They have much in com- 
mon with the insects descended from Psocid-like forebears, and might possibly be 
