TERTIARY INSECTS FROM ARGENTINA By T. D. A. COCKERELLOf the University of Colorado, Boulder Until recently no fossil insects were known from South America.The first to be recorded were two Diptera in amber from Colombia,unfortunately of uncertain age.' As early as 1917 Dr. G. R. Wielandfound two species in Upper Triassic (Rhaetic) rock at Minas de Pet-roleo, southwest of Mendoza, Argentina. These he described andfigured in a recent paper- regarding them as new genera and speciesof Tipulidae (Diptera). The smaller species is Dipterous but thelarge one {Tipuloidea rhdetica) is in fact one of the Homoptera, withthe clavus missing, as is so often the case in fossils. In any case,however, Doctor Wieland's discovery is of extraordinary interest,and his well-illustrated account will remain one of the most impor-tant contributions to paleoentomology. We now have to chroniclea third find of South American fossil insects, made by G. L. Harring-ton, of Buenos Aires. The material was kindly forwarded to meby Dr. R. S. Bassler and belongs to the United States NationalMuseum. The locality is Sunchal in the Province of Jujuy, appar-ently more than 500 miles north of Doctor Wieland's locality. Therock is gray, and is known to be of Tertiary age. In appearance andin the absence of compression of the specimens it is just like theOligocene insect-bearing rock at Gurnet Bay, Isle of Wight. ^ Fragments of numerous insects are present, but I have felt obligedto restrict myself to the description of seven species of beetles (fromelytra) and one caddis-fly (from a wing). There can be no doubtthat extensive collecting would greatly increase the list of recogni-zable species, and would presumably reveal forms of greater interestand significance. The assemblage now recorded is unsatisfactory,yet important as giving us a first idea of the Tertiary insect life ofthe region. I should not venture to name the beetle elytra but for ? Cockerell, Amcr. Journ. Sci., vol. 5, 1923, pp. 331-333.2 Wieland, Amer. Journ. Sci., vol. 9, 1925, pp. 21-28.3 Since this was written my wife and I have visited the Sunchal locality, and secured a large collectionof fossil insects. We also visited Doctor Wieland's locality near Mendoza, and found beautifully pre-served Rhaetic plants, but no insects.No. 2602.?Proceedings U. S. National Museum. Vol. 68, Art. i53196?25 I 2 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL. MUSEUM vol.68the fact that Doctor Bassler's excellent photographs make themreadily recognizable. For ready reference the following table ofbeetle elytra may be serviceable:Surface without striae or punctures Tenebrionites inclinansSurface with striae but no punctures Carabid (?) species uncertain.Surface with rows of punctures 11. Length 2.5 mm Curculionites jujuyensisLength 4 mm. or over 22. Long and parallel-sided, the width not quite one-third of lengthCossonup (?) devoratusShorter or broader, the width much more than a third of length 33. Large and black, width 3 mm., punctures very strong. Otiorhynchites aterrimusSmaller or more slender, width not over 2.5 mm 44. Slender, width less than 2 mm.; inner margin with a strong double curveCurculionites wielandiMore robust, width over 2 mm 55. Apical region broad, apex very obtuse Curculionites harringtoniApical region narrowed, apex narrower Anthonomus (?) sunchalensisIt will be seen that six of the seven described species are consid-ered to be weevils. TRICHOPTERAThe small specimen described below appears to represent a family(Molannidae) new to South America, but it is so imperfect that itsgeneric position remains in doubt.MOLANNA (?) DEROSA, new speciesAnterior wing; length as preserved 4 mm., probable total length 5mm. ; shape of wing about as usual in the genus; as preserved it is color-less, with the venation pale brown. It"y "'^^^^^ is not possible to see all the details, but { ~~~^^Z-?? ' most of what is visible agrees quite ^*'^^~^-