62 FOSSIL INSECTS OF THE BRITISH COAL MEASURES. 



totally destitute of any traces of the wing-membrane, and the course of the veins 

 only is shown across the matrix. It is much more likely that the " colour-band " 

 effect has been produced by conditions of preservation owing to the wing- 

 membrane being destroyed in those areas which do not show colour. 



Affinities. Although Scudder founded both genus and species, he did not 

 attempt any diagnostic description of either, confining his efforts mainly to a 

 discussion of relationships. His figure is unusually poor, and adds nothing to the 

 text. Scudder's general conclusion was that the wing was neuropteroid in 

 character, but " refusing to affiliate closely with the restricted families of the 

 present day," A manuscript note in Brodie's handwriting placed with the type- 

 specimen would seem to show that Scudder's views acquired greater definition 

 later. Brodie writes under date, February, 1880: "I sent this wing to Mr. 

 Scudder, and he supposes it to belong to the white ants (Termitidse), or close to 

 the group of which Goldenberg's Dictyoneura is the best type." The first detailed 

 descriptive note of the species Avas published in 1893 by Brongniart, with an 



FIG. 16. Brodia priscotincta, Scudder; immature wing, twice natural size. Middle Coal Measures 

 (clay ironstone nodule from binds between the " Brooch " and " Thick " coals) ; Coseley, 

 Staffordshire. Madeley Collection, Brit. Mas. (no. I. 2966). A, anal; C, costa; Cu, cubitus; 

 M, median ; R, radius ; Rs, radial sector ; Sc, subcosta. 



excellent enlarged drawing. Brongniart very doubtfully assigned the wing to the 

 Protodonata, and " alongside the Campyloptera." 



Immature Wings. The collection of insect-remains which I describe later 

 (p. 67) under the name of " Pteronepwnites" were found at the same horizon and 

 localities as Brodia priscotincta, and it is fairly certain that some of them are 

 immature forms of this species. It will be noted that these larval forms are broad- 

 bodied and well segmented, and with lateral outgrowths of a pleura-like character 

 upon the abdomen. They indicate that Brodia priscotincta went through a progres- 

 sive metamorphosis, the rudimentary wings gradually developing as the insects 

 lived as ground-feeders among dank and rotting vegetation. 



One of these wings (PI. IV, fig. 3) in the Madeley Collection in the British 

 Museum (no. I. 2966) is an impression 18 mm. in length by 4 mm. in 

 maximum breadth, contained in a small grey ironstone nodule. As is usually 

 the case with these grey nodules, the details of the wing are much obscured 

 by the matrix, and the precise method of division of the veins is far from being 

 clear. 



The outer margin is regularly convex and formed by the costa. It gradually 

 merges into the expanded and well-rounded wing-apex. The subcosta extends 



