. 1 MERIC. 1 X I\ 1 LEOZOK ' INSECTS— 11 A ND LIBSCIL 705 



l)etwoen the Palaiodictyoptera and the l)hittteform8. The great .simi- 

 larity existing between many protorthoptere.s and protoblattoides 

 clearly indicates, therefore, that the two groups were derived from 

 nearly related Pakeodictyoptera. 



The protoblattoids are characterized by ;i distinct, rounded liead. by 

 a prothorax either not expanded or only moderately so, and by wings 

 which stand about midwa}' between the blattoids and the pala^odicty- 

 opteran type. VV'hen at rest the wings are laid back over the abdo- 

 men. The front wings have an anal area fairly well detined and filled 

 up with arcuate or oblique veins descending to the posterior margin; 

 the hind wings, on the other hand, iiave an enlarged, fold-bearing anal 

 area. The body is not very slender, ])ut still is more so than in the 

 maiority of ))lattoids. 



Family ( )RYCT()BLATTINID.E, new family. 



, This family embraces a series of forms that have ))cen referred by 

 authors partly to the blattids and partly to the homopteres (Fulgo- 

 ridcv). These forms are distinguished b}^ a well-defined anal area, 

 with a variously large number of more or less oblique or arcuate lon- 

 gitudinal veins; further, ])y a strongly compound radial sector, a less 

 copiously divided media, and ])y a large number of delicate veins run- 

 ning out obliquely from the cul)itus. The costal area is I>road and 

 filled up with numerous veins issuing from the subcosta. From the 

 radius also such veins extend forward. Intercalarv venation af)un- 

 dantly developed, often forming accessor}^ sectors between the princi- 

 pal veins. Legs stout, homonomous. Antenna' long and many jointed. 

 Thorax stout, with the pronotum not nuich expanded. 



Very similar wings are still found to-day among the mantoids; for 

 example, in Metalleutiai. 



ORYCTOBLATTINA Scudder. 



Media free from the base on, not united witii the radial sector. 



ORYCTOBLATTINA LAQUEATA Scudder. 



Or\\c,U)hlaUhia luijtKxiUt, Scujjdek, Bufl. U. 8. Geuf. Surv., No. l-!4, 18!)5, p. IS'.^, 

 pt. XI, fig. 6. 



Locality. — 170 feet above the base of the Jpper Barren Coal Meas- 

 ures, near Kansas City, Missouri. Chanute shales; Conemaugh ? stage. 

 Scudder regarded this form as one of the Palgeoblattarite. 

 Holotype.—Q'At. No. 38160, U.8.N.M. 



