88 FOSSIL INSECTS OF THE BRITISH COAL MEASURES. 



Genus SCAL^OPTERA, novum. 



Large wings, 60 mm. or more in length. Costa marginal and slightly curved. 

 Subcosta widely separated from margin and giving off straight, oblique and widely- 

 separated branches to the margin. Radius parallel with the subcosta, and giving 

 off the radial sector in the basal half of the wing. Median with few divisions. 

 Cubitus long, with few divisions. Wing feebly plicate. Interstitial nenration 

 forming a fine, close reticulation. 



Scalseoptera recta, sp. nov. Plate VI, fig. 1 ; Text-figure 27. 



2' ?/ _^. Basal half of left wing in counterpart, having a length of 29 mm., and 

 a width of 14 mm. ; British Museum (no. I. 13878). 



Horizon and Locality. ~ Middle Coal Measures (binds between the "Brooch" 

 and " Thick " coals) ; Coseley, near Dudley, Staffs. 



Desertion. The inner margin of the wing is lost or concealed in the matrix, 



FIG. 27. Scalxoptera recta, gen. et sp. nov. ; diagram of the basal half of whig, twice natural size. 

 Middle Coal Measures ; Coseley, Staffordshire. Brit. Mus. (no. I. 13878). 



while the anal area, and possibly a part of the cubital area, is missing. A portion 

 of the nodule containing the distal half of the wing is lost. The total length 

 of the wing could not have been less than 60 mm., and judging from its apparent 

 relationships, may have been more. 



The surface of the wing is slightly plicated, two low ridges bearing the radius 

 and principal branch of the cubitus, while the subcosta and the median are deeply 

 sunk. Its membranous portion is strongly coriaceous, with stout cross-nervinvs 

 at wide intervals. The outer margin and the principal veins are feebly spinulose, 

 as best seen on the radius and radial sector. The outer margin is feebly convex, 

 the fairly straight course of the margin, and of all the principal veins, pointing 

 to the wing being much longer than wide ; a view also borne out, as we shall see 

 later, by its possible relationships. 



The subcosta is widely removed from the margin, parallel with it, and giving 

 off a series of stout branchevS passing obliquely outwards to the margin. Of these 

 divisions, one only is clearly forked. 



Two portions of the radius are present, a short* basal portion, and a second 

 piece further out. The vein is separated from the subcosta by an interval less 



