158 



wings beautifully defined, and retaining the original colour, or 



rather the spots. The size of the insects, judging from the 



remains, appears to have been usually small and indicative, if 



taken alone, of a temperate climate. Mr. Brodie observes that, 



"■with some rare exceptions (viz.), the gigantic Libellulidce, 



Termitidce, and larger Chanliodes, these insects seem to have 



belonged to a temperate climate, and thus they ofifer, as in 



the Purbeck series, a remarkable distinction in the contemporary 



forms of animal life, which, both in the Purbecks and Lias, 



are chiefly referable to extinct genera, and were most probably 



natives of warm latitudes. In one respect, however, they differ 



from the Purbeck insects, since they are less closely alUed to 



European forms, and more nearly to those which now inhabit 



North America." It may be observed that all the numerous 



remains of insects from this formation have, with the exception 



of a few specimens from the upper division, been obtained from 



the Imvest division of the Lias, or from the Rhoetic series, between 



the Lias and the Trias. These remains are very numerous, but 



the majority of them were in such a fragmentary condition that 



it has been impossible, even for those who have devoted their 



especial attention to the subject, to make out the species to which 



they belonged. About fifty-six species, however, are stated to 



have been determined, which are distributed amongst five orders, 



as follows, viz. : — 



Coleoptera 29 species. 



Meuroptera 12 ,, 



Orthoptera 7 ,, 



Hemiptera 9 ,, 



(supposed) Diptera 2 ,, 



No traces of Lepidoptera or Hymenopfera have been met with, 



and the remains which have been referred to the Diptera are very 



doubtful. In concluding this part of my paper, I would observe 



that whilst fully appreciating the value of the learning, the 



industry, and the research, of the Geologist, which have been the 



means of bringing to light these interesting relics of a former 



world, the value of the special knowledge and experience of the 



Entomologist, must not be forgotten ; and it should be borne in 



