80 -. III. DIST. CHAR. Prototype. 



as living species ; particularly the petrifactions of 

 fresh-water fish. The originals of those, which are 

 supposed to have been sea fish, have been ascertained, 

 also, in a few instances; but a far greater num- 

 ber of them appears to belong to unknown species. 



The state, in which these remains occur, is very 

 various. Sometimes the petrifactions exhibit the 

 complete external appearance of their original, as 

 those found in Thuringia, in a bituminous-mar lite ; 

 at other times, the mere skeletons of the fish remain,, 

 as in those which are commonly met with in the 

 slaty limestone of Monte Bolca, Pappenlieim, and 

 elsewhere: more frequently, however, nothing but 

 the detached bones are preserved, as the vertebrae, 

 teeth, &c. These last generally abound in chalk 

 and marl strata. 



e. 53. INSECTS (Insecta) are animals furnished 

 with antennae. They breathe through lateral spira- 

 cles, and have six, or more, legs They are also dis- 

 tinguished from the next class by undergoing vari- 

 ous transformations, before they acquire their last or 

 perfect form. (v. Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 1517.) 



Obs. Insects may be divided into those which 

 have, and those which have not, wings. Of the first 

 division, no species have yet occurred in the fossil 

 kingdom, at least in their perfect or complete form, f 



t We are aware of the petrified Beetle (Entomoltthus coleop- 

 trt) noticed by Linne, in the Museum Tessinianum; but suppose,the 

 fossil,on more minute examination,proved to be the reliquium of some - 



