95 



■of tliis locality : — "The insect fauna is very rich, and like the 

 plants indicates a more trohical climate than do the fossils of 

 CEningen. There are ten species of Termites, some of gigantic 

 size, and large Dragon flies with speckled \vings like those of the 

 Southern States of North America ; there are also grasshoppers of 

 •considerable size, and even the Lepidoptera are not imrepresented." 



The first species of this order (E. Atava) was first described 

 Vj A'< n Charpentier and referred by him to the genus Sjyhinx- 

 Dr. Heer refers it to the genus Vanessa, but Mr. Scudder 

 places it in the genus Eugonia, "the position," he says, 

 *' dubiously assigned to it by IvLrby in his " Synonymic 

 •Catalogue." 



The genus to which Mr. Scudder refers this fossil is repre- 

 sented equally in Europe and America. 



The second species, Mijlothrites Pluto, is described by Heer 

 and referred by him to the genus Vanessa. It is so described and 

 figured by Sir Charles Lyell, who observes, " In one instance thg 

 pattern of a butterfly's wing has escaped obliteration in the 

 marlstone of Eadaboj ; and when we reflect on the remoteness of 

 the time from which it has been faithfully transmitted to us, this 

 fact may inspire the reader with some confidence as to the 

 reliable nature of the characters with which other insects of a 

 more durable texture, such as the beetles, may afford for specific 

 determination." Mr. W. H. Edwards, of Western Virginia, in 

 his work on " American butterflies," expresses an opinion that this 

 species ought to have been referred to the genus Argynnis. I 

 have carefully examined the species of the genus which Mr^ 

 Edwards considers the nearest living representative of the fossil 

 species Pluto, in the collection of the British Museum, but fail to 

 trace in it any but a very superficial resemblance to the latter, of 

 which it is double the size. My friend, Mr. Butler, refers it to the 

 genus Junonia, but Mr. Scudder states that the new drawing of 

 the fossil which he has received through his friend, Herr Brunner 

 von Wattenwyl, leaves little doubt that the insect is a Pierid, and 



