﻿part 1] FROM THE BRITISH COAL MEASURES. 57 



being perfectly united at the point of intersection. A comparison 

 of this assumed median vein with that of H. schucherti is in- 

 structive. In the latter species the branching of the main stem 

 .of the median vein arises nearer the base of the wing than does the 

 branching-off of the radial sector. It is, therefore, somewhat in the 

 position of the starting-point of the median vein as a free structure 

 in the present wing. The median vein of H. schucherti has, 

 however, no union with the radius at all. In that species the 

 main stem of the median runs out towards the wing-apex parallel 

 to the inner branch of the radius, giving off a backward branch 

 which passes obliquely towards, and unites with, the anterior branch 

 of the cubitus. In the middle of its length it gives origin to a twig 

 running parallel to the main stem, and midway between that vein 

 and the cubitus. The course of the median vein in the specimen 

 here described is exactly similar to that of the branch of the 

 median vein in H. schucherti, except that the inner branch not 

 only unites with the anterior branch of the cubitus, but continues 

 on the inner side of the latter vein beyond the point of union. 

 The conditions maybe summarized by saying that in H. schucherti 

 the median vein is free along its whole length, and gives off an 

 inner branch which forks into two twigs, of which the inner 

 unites with the cubitus ; while in the sj>ecimen here described the 

 median is united with the radius for some little distance, becoming 

 free before the radial sector is reached and then forking, the inner 

 twig uniting with and crossing the cubitus. 



The next free vein to the radius is the cubitus. It has a short 

 stout basal stem, which forks into two equal and somewhat widely 

 separated branches, the outer, as I have already noted, uniting with 

 the inner branch of the median. The inner branch shows the 

 beginning of a bifurcation on the broken edge of the wing. 



Nearer the inner margin of the wing are traces of two 

 other veins : the first has its basal portion missing, and follows a 

 course parallel to the inner branch of the cubitus. It is strongly 

 forked. The remaining vein is represented by three detached 

 fragments. If Handlirsch's interpretation of the wing of H. schu- 

 cherti is followed, we should regard both these veins as anal. I am, 

 however, of opinion that, while the innermost fragmentary vein 

 may be an anal one, the forked vein, by its position, its forked 

 character, and its stoutness, must be regarded as a portion of the 

 cubitus. I am likewise of opinion that the first, and possibly 

 the second, of the veins marked as anal in Handlirsch's figure 

 of H. schucherti ought also to be classed as cubital. Both in 

 H. schucherti and in the specimen here described the anal area 

 would have an enormous development and occupy most of the 

 wing-margin if the veins alluded to were wholly anal in character. 

 I feel sure that, if the vein nearest the cubital had been better 

 preserved, it would be found in actual union with the latter at the 

 base of the wing. 



The intercalary venation, the knowledge of which I owe to 

 Dr. F. A. Bather, is peculiar, and almost identical with that of 



