Entomological Society. 9819 



Neuroptera, which finds its natural relations between the two described by Prof. Dana. 

 A founh, of which only an unimportant fragment was found, would seem to belong to 

 the Neuroptera ; but by some peculiarities of the minuter cross-veins, thrown ofif in 

 the middle of the outer edge of the wing, in a most irregular and unusual manner, 

 suggests no intimate relations with any knowu family, but must have belonged to a 

 group of large and weak-winged insects. The fifth and last to be mentioned is of very 

 striking interest, because, while it exhibits the peculiar venation which forms the well- 

 known tympanum or stridulating apparatus of the male, in the Orthopterous family 

 Locustaiia; (though differing somewhat from that), it also most resembles the Neu- 

 roptera in all or nearly all the other peculiarities of its structure, and suggests the 

 presence in the insect-faunae of those ancient times of a synthetic type, which united 

 the characteristics of the Orthoptera and Neuroptera, in themselves closely allied: 

 this point, however, requires patient and severe investigation, and only my earliest 

 impressions are here recorded, — made, however, immediately after a close examination 

 inlo the relations of other fossil insects. I earnestly hope that this locality, from 

 which these remains were disinterred, may receive a most careful and thorough 

 examiuation. Hitherto the study of fossil insects has been mainly confined to those 

 of much more recent date, and has resulted in shedding comparatively little light upon 

 geological and ))alaBontological questions; but these few remains, coupled with the 

 pair of insects found in Illinois, induce us ardently to anticipate that the future study 

 of fossil insects, drawn from such ancient strata as these, may lead to as brilliant and 

 important results, in the elucidation of geological problems still open, iu widening the 

 range of our palreontological horizon, and in our geueral knowledge of the history of 

 life on our globe in all its bearings, as have been reached by the study of the remains 

 of animals of a more substantial structure, but which have hitherto been denied to the 

 student of fossil Entomology." 



Prof Westwood mentioned that at the recent Meeting of the British Association, 

 Prof. Grube had exhibited a fossil spider from the coal measures, which was perhaps 

 identical with one figured in Petiver's ' Gazophylacium.' 



Mr. Scudder mentioned that in the Brodie collection were fossil forms very much 

 resembling some American spiders. 



Mr. C. A. Wilson, of Adelaide, communicated another instalment of his notes 

 "On the Buprestidse of South Australia." 



Prof. Westwood directed attention to M. Henri Deyrolle's recent work, * Descrip- 

 tion des Buprestides de la Malaisie, recueilles par M. Wallace'; Mr. A. R. Wallace's 

 collection of Bupiestidae had become the property of Count Mniszech,and M. H. 

 Deyrolle had described no less than 355 species of that family. 



The Secretary read the following account, with which he had been furnished, of 

 the recent 



Paris Exhibilion of Insects. — "This curious exhibition has attracted the attention 

 of men of science and agriculturists, but most particularly of those who are interested 

 in the rearing of bees and silk-worms, which naturally occupy the chief places. The 

 collection of bee-hives, some shown in operation, and of other matters connected with 

 the rearing and management of these interesting insects, is considerable, and presents 

 forms, in some instances, strange to English eyes. In addition to the bees themselves 

 are specimens of their products and of the articles into which they enter, such as 

 honey, wax, mead or hydromel, sweetmeats and confectionary. The largest portion 



