FOSSIL INSECTS. 
409 
SECTION IV. 
Fourth Class of Articulated A nimals. 
FOSSIL INSECTS.* 
Although the numerical amount of living In- 
sects forms so vast a majority of the inhabitants 
of the present land, few traces of this large class 
of Articulated animals have yet been discovered 
in a fossil state. This may probably result from 
the circumstance, that the greatest portion of 
fossil animal remains are derived from the inha- 
bitants of salt icater, a medium in Avhich only 
one or two species of Insects are now supposed 
to live. 
Had no indications of Insects been discovered 
in a fossil state, the presence in any strata, of 
Scorpions or Spiders, both belonging to families 
constructed to feed on Insects, would have af- 
forded a strong d priori argument, in favour of 
the probability, of the contemporaneous exis- 
tence of that very numerous class of animals, 
which now forms the prey of the Arachnidans. 
This probability has been recently confirmed by 
the discovery of two Coleoptera of the family 
Curculionidm in the Iron-stone of Coalbrook 
** See PI. 46'', Figs. 1. 2. & 4. — 11, 
