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X. A description of the Superior Wing of the Hymenoptera, 

 with a vietv to givi7ig a simpler and more certain Nomen- 

 clature to the Alary System of Jurine. B}^ Claude 

 MORLEY, F.Z.S. 



[Read June 2nd, 1909.] 



It is with the hope of introducing something approaching 

 uniformity into the very diversified names at present in 

 use for the various wing cells and nervures of Hymenoptera 

 that I lay this paper before the Society.* The front wing 

 alone is dealt with, since the lack of uniformity in the 

 hind one renders any attempt to generalize upon its 

 nervures unprofitable. It was mainly on two accounts 

 that I have been led to study the subject — first, because I 

 had myself committed (/oc. cit. post) such egregious errors 

 of nomenclature that they cried for redress ; and second, 

 because so much attention is now, at length, being accorded 

 the Order that the psychological moment for attempting 

 uniformity appears to have arrived. 



Respecting the origin of the neuration, it is quite im- 

 possible to say anything of the least exact value. I had 

 hoped to have discovered something to this purpose by an 

 examination of the Order's palaeontology, but am satisfied 

 that nothing is to be deduced therefrom, f Nor is it at all 



* My intimate friend, Mr. Ernest A. Elliott, F.Z.S., F.E.S., upon 

 looking through the MS., writes to me : "You start with a 'hope of 

 introducing uniformity,' and it is to be supposed that you want 

 eveiy one to use the terms proposed by you, or rather to accept your 

 statement that this cell or that nervure is so-and-so, but no attempt 

 is made to show why this set of names is better than any other, or 

 more appropriate." This is most fair criticism ; but I do not claim 

 this set of names to be better or more appropriate than any other : I 

 choose them purely for their simplicity, and all I aim at is uniformity 

 in their adoption. 



t Dr. Heer has described a single small wing from the Lias of the 

 Swiss Alps as " Hymenopterous," but it more probably belonged to 

 some other Order of insects, since no others have been discovered 

 therein, even in localities where Neuroptera, etc., have occurred in 

 plenty. The first authentic remains are in the Mesozoic Upper 

 Oolite, whence five distinct species are recorded, three of which are 

 referred to the genus Apiaria and one, doubtfully, to Bumhns. 



The chalk yields nothing ; but in the Middle Eocene leaf-beds of 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1909. — PART IV. (DEC.) G G 



