67G PROCEEDTNGR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxix. 



the structuro of thoii- bodies do not agree. For thi.s reason I ]iave 

 placed these two French forms in a new genus Lycocercux^ which is to 

 be regarded as the type of a distinct family. 



In all prol)ability one of Scudder's renowned "Devonian insects"' 

 may also ))elono- in this group. 



PLATEPHEMERA Scudder. 

 PLATEPHEMERA ANTIQUA Scudder. 

 ScuDDEH, Devon. Insect;::, X. I'>., 1S65, ]>. 1. 



Pldtcplicnwrd (tiitiqua Scudder, Canad. Nat., n. s., Ill, lSti7, ]>. 205, iijf. 2; Anniv. 



Mem. Boston Soc, 1880, p. 7, pi. i, figs. 9, 10. 

 Platephemera antiqua Hagen, Bull. Mus. Comp. ZooL, VIII, 1881, p. 27<). 

 Palepheviera antiqua Scudder, Mem. Boston Soc, III, 1885, p. 323. 



Locality. — St. John, New Brunswic^k. Little River group; = 

 ? Pottsville. 



Scudder sought to demonstate that this wing could only belong to 

 an ephemerid-like insect; but Hagen strenuously opposed this view, 

 emphatically declaring the fossil to be an odonate of the family Gom- 

 phida\ On the other hand, Eaton conceded a measure of accuracy to 

 ScuddeFs opinion, yet Brauer thought that comparison could also be 

 made with the wings of certain mantids, blattids, and locustids, but 

 finally expressed himself in favor of Hagen's view. Brongiiiart again 

 agreed with Scudder, who, however, later departed from his former 

 opinion and raised the fossil to the type of a distinct family, which 

 he wrongly named "Palephemeridfe,'' and brought into relation with 

 the " orthopteroid " protophasmids, yet placed it in the "neuropte- 

 roid " Pal^odictyoptera. 



In my opinion, all the authors mentioned are wrong, and Plate- 

 2)liemera belongs to the true Pahieodictyoptera. Not only the direc- 

 tion of the main veins declares in favor of this view, but also the 

 intercalar}' venation. 



Family HOMOTHETIDiE Scudder. 



This family wns originally founded b}' Scudder on a fossil insect 

 from the Little River group, which undoubtedly l)elongs to the true 

 PaUeodictyoptera. Later this author placed a large number of unre- 

 lated forms in tliis group. 



In its shape tiie wing recalls the forms allied to Ilomowptera 

 Brongniart, from the Stephanian of Connnentry. The costa is mar- 

 gnial, the subcosta not very far removed from it, and preserved 

 nearly to the tip. Radius vaulted like the subcosta, not branched. 

 Radial sector issuing near the base of the wing, with 3 or 4 oblique 

 branches directed backward. Media probably divided near the base 

 into 2 large, doublv forked branches, wiiich are arched as they extend 



