NO. 2119. BRITISH FOSSIL INSECTS— COCKERELL. 477 



related to Dysmorphoptila, but quite distinct. There is a marked 

 similarity in essential structure with the Permian Prosbole. Accord- 

 ing to Handlirsch, the subcosta of Prosbole is fused with the radius, 

 and a slight elevation running close to the upper margin is not a 

 vein. In this insect there is a similar slight elevation or fold, which 

 is very probably not a vein. The Httle cell in the fork of the subcosta 

 and radius of Prosbole is represented by a large elongate cell in our 

 insect. Upon comparison with the modern Heteroptera similar 

 homologies can be made out. Thus Alydus conspersus has essentially 

 the same type of venation, but the cell in the fork of the radius and 

 subcosta is very large, and coalesces with the cell in the fork of the 

 media. Hence, our insect can be regarded as intermediate in vena- 

 tion between Alydus and Prosbole. In our insect, as in the Palaeo- 

 hemiptera and Homoptera, the veins are continuous from the basal 

 to the apical fields, the membrane not being abruptly differentiated; 

 nevertheless, the region of the membrane seems to have been modified, 

 and its veins are more delicate than those on the middle and basal 

 parts of the wing. 



I was at first inclined to refer MesTiemipteron incertum to Hand- 

 lirsch's genus Homopterites, assuming that the figure of that insect 

 was partly erroneous. It is not impossible that this would be cor- 

 rect, but we are hardly at Hberty to make such an assumption, 

 especially as HandUrsch definitely places Homopterites in the Ful- 

 goridae, and seems quite clear about its characters. 



Holotype.—C&t. No. 61396, U.S.N.M. 



COLEOPTERA. 



PROTOCUNEUS, new genus. (Rhynchophora?) 



Elytron elongated, narrow at base, pointed at apex, the outer 

 margin presenting an obtuse but salient angle far above the middle; 

 texture dense, black as preserved, with very numerous large punc- 

 tures, which are arranged in regular rows on the inner half of the 

 elytron, but on the outer half are irregular; outer margin thickened. 



Genotype. — Protocuneus punctatus, new species. 



PROTOCUNEUS PUNCTATUS, new species. 

 Plate 61, fig. 6. 



Elytron nearly 4.5 mm. long, 1 mm. broad at the broadest point 

 (level with the outer angle) ; outer margin from angle to apex about 

 3.25 mm. 



Lias at Wilncote (Brodie) ; Lacoe Coll. 3426. This is marked ''Ely- 

 tron of beetle, Buprestidae or Elateridae;" but I think it belongs 

 rather to the Rhynchophora, as indicated by the large punctures and 

 the general form. Some Curculionidse (e. g., species of Acalles) 



