428 
Analyses of Books. 
[July, 
richest locality in the known world for fossil inserts. In a sing ® 
summer it has yielded double the number of specimens whic 
Heer obtained from the CEningen beds during thirty years. Un 
comparing the produce of the two localities we observe a sti iking 
difference as regards the distribution of the different orders. In 
both the Orthoptera, Arachnida, Myriapoda, and Lepidoptera 
are very poorly represented ; the Hemiptera are nearly equal in 
both ; but whilst 48 per cent of the CEningen fossils belong to 
the Coleoptera, this order at Florissant includes only 13] per cent. 
The Diptera form 30 per cent at Florissant, and 7 at CEningen , 
whilst the Hymenoptera amount to 40 per cent in the former, and 
only 14 in the latter. . . 
Among the Hymenoptera 70 to 80 specimens, representing 
about 30 species, have been found of wasps. A Polistes is re- 
markable as retaining traces of a greenish blue metallic tint. 
Another case of the survival of colour occurs in a specimen be- 
longing to the Chrysidae. 
Of ants about 4000 specimens have been distinguished. icn- 
neumons, both small and large, are well represented, and prove 
the species of inserts in which these parasites could oviposit. 
One butterfly, in fine condition, has been described as Prodryas 
persephone. Two more diurnals appear, distinrt from any living 
genus, but nearly allied to Prodryas. _ . 
The number of the Diptera — especially Cuhcidse, Chirono- 
midie, and Tipulidse — is remarkable, and proves that had man 
existed in the Tertiary epoch he would have found it by no means 
a golden age. , , , , 
Among the Coleoptera two-fifths of the whole belong to the 
Rhyncophorous series, in striking contrast to what is observed in 
the European tertiaries. The water-beetles are not numerous, 
and there are no large Dytisci, as at CEningen. Silphidae, His- 
teridae, Dermestidae, and Ptinidae are few, pointing to a not over 
plentiful supply of animal refuse. Coccinellidae and Telephoridae 
are also scarce, whence we should argue that plant-lice cannot 
have been very abundant. _ . .. 
The Lamellicornes — or as our American friends pretei to call 
them, after the French fashion, Scarabaeidae — are moderately nu- 
merous ; but until we know what proportion of them belong to 
the flower-haunting, and what to the dung-feeding group, we can 
draw no conclusion as to the presence of ruminant animals. 
It is remarkable that few land- and fresh-water-shells have 
been found. There is a species of Planorbis with a thin shell 
and always damaged, a Physa , and a single specimen of a bi- 
valve. Eight fishes have been found ; also a sparrow-like bud 
(Palceospiza bella ), with bones and feathers tolerably complete, a 
plover, and a finch. The plants are very numerous, and from 
go to 100 species have been determined by M. Lesqueroux. 
From the chararter both of the animals and the plants, the 
climate, at the time of these deposits, is supposed to have been 
