484 Charles Byongniart — Fossil Insects of the Primary Bochs. 



the Coleoptera form an intermediate group, or are, at least, among 

 the Heterometabola, in course of progression towards the Metabola. 



In the Palgeozoic rocks the presence of Coleoptera is, as already 

 remarked, very problematical, and the orders, whose existence has 

 been proved, all belong to the great section of the Heterometabola. 

 The classification of MM. Packard and Scudder is therefore that 

 which agrees best with the evidence afi'orded by palaeontology, em- 

 bryology, and morphology. 



We proceed now to pass in review the Heterometabola found in 

 the Palasozoic formations, showing the relationships which they 

 offer to the present fauna. 



Silurian System. — An insect was found this year in the sand- 

 stone of Jurques (Calvados) analogous to the May-Hill-Sandstone 

 belonging to the Middle Silurian. On Nov. ]2, 1884, MM. Thorell 

 and Lindstrom announced the discovery of a Scorpion (Palceophonus 

 nunciixs) in the Upper Silurian of the island of Gotland. Almost at 

 the same time a second Scorpion was discovered in Scotland in 

 similar deposits.^ The impression on the Jurques sandstone consists 

 of a wing whose neuration recalls that of certain Orthoptera of the 

 families of the Acrididee, Locustidae, and especially of the Blattidge. 



That which is very remarkable, and which distinguishes this im- 

 pression from all the wings of living or fossil Blattce, is the length of 

 the anal nervure and the small width of the axillary field. Pending 

 new discoveries which may enlighten us concerning the zoological 

 affinities of this fossil, we have placed it in the family of the Blattidee, 

 under the name of Falceohlattina Doiwillei. 



Devonian System. — Several remains of wings have been found in 

 the Devonian shales of New Brunswick ; they have been studied 

 with care by Mr. Scudder, who has referred them to the Neuroptera 

 or to the Orthoptera pseudo-Neuroptera.^ 



The estimate of the affinities of these insects is very difficult, and 

 Mr. Hagen has blamed Mr. Scudder's mistakes in his determina- 

 tions. Without wishing to deti-act from the importance and 

 excellence of Mr. Scudder's work, we consider that this naturalist 

 has been a little too hasty in his conclusions, and that his determina- 

 tions are at least a little risky, having regard to the bad state of 

 preservation of his material. Nevertheless, Mr. Hagen has, in our 

 opinion, wandered much further from the truth than Mr. Scudder. 



1. Gerephemera simplex. — Scudder, who had created the family of 

 the Atocina for this fossil imprint, has placed it in my group of 

 the Protophasmida. Is it right or wrong? It seems impossible to 

 say, for it appears to me difficult to form a correct opinion from so 

 small a fragment. This wing must have belonged to a large insect ; 

 it was about 6 centimetres long. The wing was rather elongated, 

 and the nervures were united by a rather loose reticulation. 



1 Mr. E. P. Whitfield (under date July 31st, 18S.5) announced in " Science," 

 vol. vi. No. 130, pp. 87-88, the discovery of a Scorpion in the "Waterlime group, 

 Lower Helderberg, of Oneida County, JV.Y., nearly on the same geological horizon 

 and closely agreeing with the Swedish fossil. A figure is also given of the specimen. 



~ See Geological Magazine, 1868, Vol. V. pp. 172, 216. 



I 



