GEOLOGICAL ANTIQUITY OF FLOWERS AND INSECTS. 
41 
small species, are of advantage to flowers by carrying away 
the pollen which attaches itself to the underside of their bodies 
during their slow and sleepy foraging in the bosom of flowers. 
A few Diptera also may be useful to plants in crossing them. 
But enough has been said to prove that the Lepidoptera first, 
and such specialized forms as the bees among the Hymenoptera 
second, are the members of the insect world on which flowers 
most depend for being effectually crossed. 
Now, if among all the vegetable productions of the globe 
those plants which bear conspicuous and attractive flowers are the 
latest to appear (as we have seen they are, the anemophilous 
group preceding the entomophilous ), then, as the Lepidoptera are 
so absolutely necessary to the perfect crossing of plants, they 
ought to make their appearance about the same time. That is 
to say, if true flowers are the latest of all the developments of 
the vegetable world, butterflies and moths ought to be the 
latest evolved among the insect-tribes. Remains of insects 
have been found fossilized in deposits as ancient as those of the 
Devonian period, and from that time onwards to our own, under 
conditions which would have equally admitted the preservation 
of Lepidoptera had those insects been then in existence. It must 
not be imagined that, in spite of their gay colours and attractive 
appearance, we regard butterflies and moths as the most highly 
organized types of insects. On the contrary, bees, ants, and wasps 
among the Hymenoptera, and termites, or white ants, alnong 
the Neuroptera, by their subtle display of instinct, their 
knowledge of the division of labour, and the general mode in 
which they conduct the affairs of the hives or republics in 
which most of them live, recommend themselves to our notice 
as cerebrally the highest endowed of all forms of insect life. 
But the Neuroptera and Hymenoptera were in existence 
ages before the appearance of . moths and butterflies, 
although it is not until the tertiary period that we find them 
fossilized in such specific forms (termites and ants) as leads 
us to believe their marvellous instincts had even then been 
established. 
We have seen how it is possible to trace in few words the general 
order of succession of the leading types of animals, and also of 
plants. Sir John Lubbock and other philosophical entomologists 
believe that the various orders of insects came into existence, 
at different periods, somewhat as follows : — Orthoptera and 
Beuroptera in the Devonian epoch ; Goleoptera during the 
Carboniferous ; Hymenoptera , Hemiptera , and Diptera during 
the Oolitic and Cretaceous periods ; and Lepidoptera not until 
Tertiary times set in. The remains of a supposed fossil 
butterfly have been found in the English Oolites, and named 
by Mr. Butler Palceontina oolitica ; but the lepidopterous 
