An Odonate Fossil Wing From Tihe Oligocene of Oregon

The specimen, which consists of a complete fore wing, is contained in a tuffaceow mudstone, a medium which makes for wonderful preservation of even the most minute details of venation; only the middle third of the space between the nodus and the pterostigma is damaged but this is just the part which is of the least importance and which can be restored with a minimum of error. The actual outlines of the wing are so intact that both the length and breadth can be given with the greatest accuracy. The wing belongs to a species of the family Epallagidae and with a few adjustments, might well be placed in the genus Euphaea Selys. The fossil, which consists of obverse and reverse impressions, is deeply stained a dull warm brown, agreeing in this respect with fragments of leaves and plants among which the wing had come to rest; thus I am of the opinion that this apparent pigmentation is only the result of staining or some later chemical reaction. This opinion is supported by a broad apical dark band which is present on the reverse impression but absent on the obverse; on the latter a convex crack runs across the apex of the wing and a tracing made of this served to show that