THE FIRST AIR-BREATHERS. 



M7 



and Dragon-flies represent another insect order.^ The Coal- 

 measures of Saarbruck have afforded several species allied to 

 the white ants {Tennites) insects which must have found abun- 

 dant scope for their activity in the dead trees of the carboni- 

 ferous forests. The occurrence of beetles, ^ especially of the 

 weevil family, which have as yet been found only in Europe 

 might have been expected, considering the habits and modern 

 distribution of this group. It has been asserted that moths ^ 

 have been found in the Carboniferous ; but the proof of this, 



"" 11-^ -J : ■ tJ - j-U ^ - . ■ . — I — iM j:j'J* 



Fig. 128. — Wing of May-fly (^Haplophlebium Bamesii, Scudder). From the 



Coal-formation. 



SO far as known to me, is the occurrence ot leaves, noticed 

 by Sternberg, with markings similar to those made by the larvae 

 of minute leaf-mining moths. This, however, is uncertain evi- 

 dence. If we consider the orders of insects not found in the 

 Coal-formation, we can perceive good reasons for the absence 

 of some of them. Those containing the lice and fleas, and 

 other minute and parasitic insects, we can scarcely expect to 

 find. The bees and v isps, and the butterflies and moths, are 



1 Ncuroptera, ^ Coleoptera. ^ Titie.c, 



L 2 



