﻿58 



MR. II . BOLTON ON SOME INSECTS 



[vol. lxxii,. 



Hypermegethes. The intercostal area is filled by an irregular 

 meshwork of fine veins, with a tendency on the outer and inner 

 sides to a transverse arrangement. Between the median and the 

 cubital the intercalary veins are short, straight, and transverse, 

 and feeble traces of similar veins can be seen in the median area. 

 The cubital area is filled in with a meshed venation, larger and 

 more regular than that of the intercostal area, and this seems to- 

 continue into the anal area. 



Affinities. — The Paheodictyopteroid characters of the veins 

 of this wing are clear and unmistakable. The general course and 

 branching of the main veins are undoubtedly like those of Hyper- 

 megethes, and now that the intercalary venation is known, this 

 relationship is put beyond doubt. The points of relationship 

 between Hypermegethes sclmcherti and this wing may be enu- 

 merated as follows : — 



Intercostal area wide and filled in by an irregular meshwork of subsidiary 

 veins. In each case the radial sector comes off farthest from the base of the 

 wing, the forking of the median next, and the forking of the cubitus nearest 

 the wing-base. The radial, median, and part of the cubital areas are occupied 

 by relatively few transverse veins. The inner half of the wing in each case is 

 filled in by a network of more regular and larger-meshed veins than is the 

 intercostal area. In both cases the median has an inner branch, which enters 

 into union with the anterior branch of the cubitus. The radius, median, and 

 cubital elements are in both cases closely compacted together, with narrow 

 areas, while in the rest of the wing the veins are well spaced. 



This assemblage of characters common to H. sclmcherti and 

 the present specimen quite justifies the inclusion of the latter 

 in the genus Hypermegethes; but, in order to do this, it is 

 necessary to modify somewhat the diagnostic descriptions of the 

 family Hypermegethidse and the genus Hypermegethes. 



I would, therefore, define the family Hyperrnegethidse as 

 follows : — 



Costa marginal, costal area broad, radius simple, radial sector present, 

 median probably dividing at the base into two or more main branches, the first 

 of which may become united to the radius ; cubitus forked near the base, with 

 its branches widely spaced. Anal veins few, and anal area not exceeding a 

 third of the inner margin. 1 , 



Genus Hypermegethes. 



Costal border feebly convex, sub-costa and radius close together 

 along the greater part of their length. Outer median vein fused 

 with radius or separate. Cubitus consisting of two, possibly more, 

 parallel and simply forked branches, dividing near the point of 

 origin. Anal veins few. 



The specimen here described differs from H. schucherti in the 



1 The general assemblage of characters found in Hypermegethida? is,. 

 I believe, highly suggestive of the Protodonata, but no definite conclusions 

 can be formulated ur til the whole wing is known. 



