78 EXPLANATION OF PLATE 46". 



Figs. 4 — 9. Elytra of Insects in the Oolitic slate of Stones- 

 field. Mr. Curtis considers all these to belong to 

 the family Buprestis. (Original.) 



Fig. 10. Leg of an Insect in the Stonesfield slate, Oxon, 

 considered by Mr. Curtis to be that of a Curculio.* 

 (Original.) 



Fig. 11. A fossil Fly from the fresh water formation of 

 Aix in Provence, in the collection of Mrs. Murchison. 

 Mr. Curtis considers this Fly to be of the same spe- 

 cies with one of those engraved in Fig. 1 1 of his 

 Plate of Insects from this locality, in Jameson's 

 Journal, Oct. 1829. (Original.) 



Although it agrees with no living genus, he thinks 

 it undoubtedly belongs to the family of Tipulidae, 



the body of this animal, form a character wherein it approaches nearer 

 than the living- Limulus to the structure of Trilobites. The articula- 

 tion of the long- awl-shaped tail with the body in Fig. 3, and in other 

 specimens is very distinct. This Limulus is the Entomolithus monocu- 

 lites of Martin, (Petrifacta Derbiensia, Tab. 45, Fig. 4.) and Belinu- 

 rus bellulus of Konig, (Icon. Sect. PI. XVIII. No. 230.) M. Parkinson, 

 Org. Rem. iii. PL XVII. Fig. 18, has figured a similar fossil from Dud- 

 ley, in iron stone of the Coal formation. 



* Mr. Rr. C. Taylor mentions the occurrence of the wing covers of 

 Beetles in the shale of the Danby Coal pits, in the Eastern Moorlands 

 of Yorkshire. This shale has nearly the same place in the Oolitic 

 series as the Stonesfield slate. See Loudon's Mag. Nat. Hist. V. iii. 

 P. 361. 



In the private collection of Dr. de Siebold at Leyden, I saw in Oct. 

 1835, a most beautiful and unique specimen of a Buprestis, from Japan, 

 about an inch long, converted to Calcedony. Even the antennae and 

 portions of the legs are distinctly preserved. 



In the same collection are fragments of silicified trees, bored with 

 tubular cavities, apparently by the larvse of animals of this kind ; 

 and within these cavities, a quantity of dust, produced by the boring, 

 was observed by M. Brongniart to be converted to Calcedony. 

 From this circumstance we may conjecture that the perfect insect 

 was lodged in a similar tube, when it became transformed into Cal- 

 cedony. The surface of this Insect is covered with clusters of minute 

 concentric rings of Calcedony (Orbicules of Brongniart) so common 

 in silicified fossil shells. 



