8. S. Scudder — Neiv Carhoniferous Insects. 295 



Brodta is preserved is of a dull grey colour, and the hyaline parts 

 of the wing do not differ from it in tint. The margins of the wing, 

 however, are nearly black, while the anterior part of the wing 

 next the scapular vein is dull brown ; below this are three broad 

 transverse belts, one in the middle, and the others in the middle of 

 either half of the wing, which, and especially the two outer, are 

 of a distinct, though dull, umber brown ; these belts are very 

 irregular in outline, following in many cases the course of the 

 transverse veinlets. All the margins of the wing are armed with 

 fine black spinules, generally set in a double row. 



From the excellent preservation of the markings the species may 

 take the name of Brodia priscotincta. The wing as preserved is 

 44 mm. long and 12 mm. broad. The possible length of the com- 

 plete wing was about 55 mm. 



The second specimen is a fragment of the basal part of a wing, 

 which, as it shows the roots of all the principal veins, can be placed 

 with a strong degree of probability in the same general group as 

 some other Palaeozoic wings ; and yet, as it differs strikingly from 

 all of them in certain features, and from its immense size can be 

 confounded with none, merits distinct mention and a name. The 

 fragment itself must have been known for a long time, though I 

 find nowhere any reference to it ; besides the piece sent me by Mr. 

 Brodie, I have casts of its reverse, given me about ten j'ears ago by 

 Mr. Woodward, the original of which is, I believe, in the British 

 Museum. 



This fragment is remarkable for representing the largest known 

 insect-wing from the Palaeozoic rocks, not excepting the Acridites 

 formosus of Goldenberg from Saarbriick, or my Megaihentoniiim 

 pustidatum from Illinois. Certainly not more, probably much less, 

 than the fifth of the wing is preserved ; but the direction of the 

 veins, their very great robustness, and the extraordinary distance 

 apart of the upper three are clear indications that the spread of wing 

 enjoyed by this insect was not less than ten, and may even have 

 been more than fourteen inches ; all the principal veins are a 

 millimetre or more thick, and the cross-veins of the upper two 

 interspaces are tolerably distant, stout, prominent, and generally 

 simple. The marginal vein, forming the front border of the wing, 

 is studded with short oblique spines. The other veins lie at very 

 different levels on the stone, and, below the interspaces mentioned, 

 seem rather closely crowded, and are much more curved, sweeping 

 downward, while the upper veins show little tendency to turn from 

 a longitudinal course. All the principal veins are present, and 

 from their trend and relative level, and from the width and nature 

 of the interspaces, there can be no question that the insect belongs 

 to the same group with the Gorydnlis Brongniarti of Mantell, and the 

 Lithomantis carbonarius of Woodward, and is, indeed, only to be 

 separated generically from them. 



For this gigantic insect the name of ArchcBoptilus tngens is pro- 

 posed. The length of the fragment is 43 mm. and its width 32 mm. 



This naturally leads to an inquiry into the proper zoological 



