314 On the Diptera of the Amber-fauna. 
Diplonema, remarkable for the elegant structure of its anten- 
nz, is one of the most striking genera of Psychodie found in 
amber; Styringomyia, a genus of the Zipulide, hasa very pecu- 
liar neuration of the wings; both genera when I discovered 
them in amber were new. I was not a little surprised therefore 
when I found specimens of both genera together, enclosed ina 
lump of copal. Unfortunately it was not possible for me to as 
certain the country where this piece of so-called East Indian 
copal came from, although I still hope that a well-preserved 
beetle, contained in it, may help to solve this question. 
Among the amber Diptera I also found three species of a Tip: 
ulideous genus, which I called Zoxorhina; it is remarkable for 
its long, almost filiform, stiff proboscis, for the peculiar structure 
of its oral organs, and for the abnormal neuration of its wings. 
Later, I became acquainted with a living representative of this 
genus in Zocorhina fragilis from Jamaica, and still later I was led 
to recognize that Westwood’s genus Limnobiorhynchus, founded 
upon a Canadian and a Brazilian species, was, if not identical, 
at least very closely related with Zoxorhina. 
_ Another very remarkable genus among the number of the 
Tipulide occurring in amber, is the new genus Macrochile. A 
closely allied genus was recently described by Baron Osten 
Sacken, in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences 
of Philadelphia, under the name of Protoplasa. 
These instanees, which could be increased by many others, 
will be sufficient to prove that it would be premature to conclu 
from the presence in amber of a number of genera, tbe living 
representatives of which have not yet been found, to the nov 
existence of these genera in the fauna of the present epoch. 
The result therefore to be drawn from the foregoing facts and 
from the considerations connected with them, is in general of & 
rather negative nature; and this result is, that the facts 1n Our 
possession do not justify any conclusion as to the existence 1? 
the Amber period of forms totally different from those now liv: 
ing in any important parts of their organization—or, to adopt & 
more positive mode of expression, it seems extremely probable 
that the generic types which existed in the Amber period, ip 
been preserved down to our time, The question whether Ao 
number of generic types has been perceptibly increased since * 
Amber period cannot be discussed at all, as we possess but @ 
small fraction of the fauna of that time. ! 
If the generic types of the Diptera of the Amber period have 
thus been preserved to our time, the question naturally aes 
whether this is not also the ease with the specific ty pes, if not Ai 
at least some of them. The general impression produced by ra 
- Diptera, even in a cursory examination, has 50 little to 
the character of novelty in it that we at once feel dispose® © 
