Antediluvian Zoology. 361 
mencing the study of botany, I have mentioned chiefly such 
genera as are more or less known in this country: by far the 
greater number, even of these, I have necessarily passed un- 
noticed; and many, but cursorily mentioned, might occupy 
volumes. The two last-mentioned classes, in particular, con- 
tain many genera of extraordinary interest, as the oak, fir, 
willow, Mimosa, Acacia, Ficus, &c. 
It will not be necessary at present to touch upon the twenty- 
fourth class, Cryptogdmia. ‘The young student should be well 
familiarised with the less difficult classes before he attempts 
to study plants so imperfectly understood even by the best 
botanists. At some future period I purpose to speak of this 
class more at length than circumstances will admit of my doing 
at this moment. ‘Till then, reader, farewell. 
Art. XI. Lllustrations of Antediluvian Zoology. 
By R. C. Taytor, Esq., F.G.S. 
(Concluded from p. 287.) 
WE resume our notices of Antediluvian Zoology, continuing 
the division of 
ARTICULATED ANIMALS. 
Insects. — When we consider the enormous proportion of in- 
sects to the rest of the animated beings in the present world, — 
being, according to Baron Humboldt, no less than 44,000 out 
of 51,700,—we might expect to discover more frequent traces 
of these tribes in the fossil world. Whether they did not pre- 
vail in such numbers during the former period of the globe, 
or whether, as is most probable, the extreme delicacy of their 
structure was unfavourable to their preservation, we have only 
the fact, that but scanty traces of their former existence, par- 
ticularly in the elder beds, do now appear. 
The elytra of two or three species of Coleopterous Insects 
are found in the Stonesfield calcareous slate. They are also 
traced in the coal shale of the oolite series in Yorkshire, and 
occasionally in older coal slates, and accompanying some other 
vegetable deposits. ‘They have been observed in the peaty 
beds below the diluvium of the Norfolk coasts, and in a similar 
bed on the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire coasts. In the sub- 
marine forest of Mount’s Bay, Dr. Boase recognised fragments 
of insects, particularly the elytra and mandibles of the beetle 
tribe, which still display the most beautiful shining colours 
when first dug up. The wings of beetles were found in split- 
ting the shale at Danby coal-pits in Yorkshire. 
Vox. III. — No. 14. BB 
