17 
which from their usually beautiful and perfect state of pre- 
servation, are more interesting to the Entomoligist than the 
more imperfect remains of this class contained in many other 
and older formations, and are therefore more easily deter- 
mined. As the flora of the inferior ‘ Amber earth,’ belonging 
to the Glauconite series, differs from that of the superior and 
newer Brown Coal, it is possible that many of the Insects 
would also differ, while those in the African Amber would 
present still greater diversity, and a more tropical character. 
As a general rule, all the Tertiary insects have a more decided 
European character, closely approximating to recent forms, 
than the Carboniferous, Liassic, and Oolitic ones, and several 
genera and species are still found living, though many are 
extinct. From the lucid clearness and beautiful transpar- 
ency of Amber, and its soft yellow colouring, the insect 
remains can be most easily examined. It would seem that 
they must have been caught suddenly by the liquid resin as 
it oozed out of the pines, and thus were entombed alive, 
which will account for their wonderful state of preservation. 
Many of them no doubt were caught while on the trees, and 
even the cunning spider, while watching for his prey, was 
like the biter bit, enveloped also. Others may have been 
embedded at the base of the trees, where the Amberous 
exudation was unusually profuse. Crustacea are also recorded 
in Amber, by Berendt, and certain of the class Myriapoda 
to which the common Centipede, Scolopendra, and Iulus 
belong, creatures which would abound amongst the decaying 
wood, and in the hollows of the trees in the ancient Tertiary 
forests of the period. When quickly enveloped, the insects 
and other organic remains are well preserved, retaining their 
natural colours and their more delicate parts. ‘Those which 
died, and were long exposed to the air, are more or less 
injured, and are surrounded with a white, mouldy covering, 
