BRITISH FOSSIL INSECTS. 



By T. D. A. COCKERELL, 



Of the University of Colorado, Boulder. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Lacoe collection of fossil insects, in the United States National 



Museum, includes a considerable series of English specimens, partly 



from the Lias and partly the Oligocene of the Isle of Wight, all 



collected many years ago by the Rev. Peter Bellinger Brodie. A 



study of this material has revealed many new and interesting forms, 



which are described herewith. There are in addition many others, 



some too imperfect for description; others, especially Coleoptera and 



minute parasitic Hymenoptera from the Oligocene, belonging to 



groups which I can not properly describe without larger collections of 



recent forms. 



SUMMARY OF OCCURRENCES. 



It seems useful to present a brief summary of our knowledge of 

 British fossil insects up to the date of writing. In this I have in- 

 cluded only the species which have been definitely named and 

 described, as experience shows that references to species by the 

 generic name or family name only, which are scattered through the 

 literature, are too unreliable to be used as evidence. 



Carboniferous (27 species). 



Palaeodidyoptera. — Thirteen species. The family called Pteronidiae 

 by Bolton should be written Pteronidiidae. Pteronidia Bolton 1912 

 is antedated by Pteronidea Rohwer 1911, but the difference of a letter 

 should save it. 



Blattoidea. — Thirteen species, seven of them described in recent 

 years by Mr. H. Bolton. 



Protodonata. — Meganeura radstockensis Bolton, 1914, from the 

 upper coal measures at Radstock, Somerset. 



Lias (82 species). 



Orthoptera. — Nineteen species, of which three are first described 

 below. Six are Blattoids, six Mantoids, and seven Locustoids. 



Coleoptera. — Thirty-three species, of which six are first described 

 below. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 49-No. 21 1 9 



469 



