Dr. H. Woodward — On a New Lias Insect. 197 



The head is rounded and of moderate size, with a slight indentation, 

 in front, marking the median line. The mandible, which is serrated, 

 can be seen on the right side, and a portion of the left antenna, with 

 its small bead-like joints, is preserved. The eyes are prominent, 

 but moderate in size. The pronotum is not long and cylindrical as 

 in Chauliodes, but is of neai'ly equal length with the mesonotum and 

 metanotum, but the mesonotum is broadest and is angular in outline. 

 The abdomen is concealed beneath the wings, and its proportions 

 cannot consequently be given. 



The wings, in their closed position, measure 42 mm. in length, by 

 12 mm. in breadth, but being folded upon one another, it is a matter 

 of considerable difficulty to trace the nervures belonging to each of 

 the separate wings. To begin with the anterior border. There is an 

 entire absence of the ladder-like cross-veins which unite the costa 

 with the costal vein in the wings of so many Neuropterous insects ; 

 but, apparently, there is a trace of such ladder-like cross- veins to be 

 faintly seen near the distal end of the wings, and witliin their lateral 

 margins, which may possibly belong to the under, or hind-wings. 

 With regard to its absence in the upper, or front- wings, it may be 

 explained either (a) as not existing ; (h) as not having been pre- 

 served ; or (c) that the costal margin was folded down out of sight, 

 when the insect was at rest. 



(a) 1 do not know of an instance of a Neuropterous insect in 

 which this well-marked marginal line of cross-veins uniting the 

 costal border with the costal- vein, is present in the hind-wings ^ 

 and absent in the front- wings; (h) yet it seems unlikely, if it existed, 

 that no trace should have been left along the costal margin in either 

 wing; but (c) in a specimen of Chauliodes Japonicus (McL.), with 

 the wings closed (which, by the kindness of Mr. Charles 0. Water- 

 house, I have been enabled to examine, together with numerous 

 other insects, in the Zoological Department), the costal margin of 

 the front wings cannot be seen, being folded down out of sight on 

 each side. I have not seen the living insect ; but if this is its normal 

 position when at rest, then it may be that the costal border of the 

 wings of this Lias insect are also concealed in a similar manner 

 beneath the rest of the wing. I do not, however, feel confidence 

 in urging this hypothesis. 



After carefully studying the wings and comparing the relative 

 position of the subcostal, the principal, subnodal, median, and sub- 

 sector veins in recent Neuropterous insects, with the fossil form, I 

 find the points of comparison with Chauliodes less satisfactory than 

 I had at first anticipated, and that both in the narrow and elongated 

 form of the wing, as well as its more simple neuration and the 

 absence of the ladder-like cross-veins on the costal margin, there is 

 a greater resemblance to the Termitidse (sub-order Pseudoneuroptera). 



The very distinct evidence of symmetrically-arranged colour- 

 markings and spots on the wings must not, however, be lost sight 



^ As this single line of ladder-like cross-veinlets occurs within the wing, it may 

 not after all belong to the margin of the lower or hind-wing, but form part of the 

 cross-veinlets of the front wing itself (as in Clathrotermes signatus, Heer). 



