146 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XX VL 



depressed at the 2nd to 7th segment, but the last four segments slightly 

 dorso-ventrally dilated. The abdomen of the female is considerably 

 bul.iier than that of the male which is comparatively slim. The border 

 of the 8th segment in the female is very broadly dilated, the ex- 

 panded margins hanging down and serving as claspers for the exuded eggs 

 when ovipositing. Colour in the male exceedingly variable according to 

 the same factors which affect the colouring of tlie thorax. A complete 

 series may ba taken ranging from an uniform bluish frosting over blacK and 

 with no markings, to specimens which closely approach the females in the 

 richness of their colouring. Generally, however, the first three segments 

 are frosted over, the colours beginning to show through the Irosting on the 

 third segment. In the female the intersegmental nodes are broadly and 

 ditfusely black ; a fine raid-dorsal black line runs from the 1st to the 8th 

 segment, bordered outwardly by a pale greenish-yellow line. This latter 

 is again bordered outwardly by black. The borders of the abdomen as 

 far as the 8th segment broadly and richly coloured with golden yellow or 

 ochreous. Beneath dark ochreous. Anal appendages long, as long as the 

 9fch abdominal segment, cylindrical, narrow, sinuous, sloping ventralvvards 

 at the ends, which are pointed. The interior tiearly as long as the superior 

 and sloping up to meet the latter, dark brown or bltick ; those of the female 

 widely remote, much shorter than those of the male and shorter than the 

 '.•th abdominal segment, cylindrical, pointed, black. 



Sexual organs of the male: tentacula small, regular in shape; the 

 lamina br^ad, flattened, the lower border projecting ssomewhat, furnished 

 with numerous black spines. Outer tentacula extending widely posterior- 

 wards, long and oval; the inner a small, stout, curving hook. The lobe 

 small and a little arched. 



Sexual organs of the female ; border of the 8th abdominal segment 

 strongly dilated ; a small, inconspicuous vulvar scale at the end of the 

 8th ventral plate ; 9th ventral plate flattened and not distnictly carinated, 

 ciliated. 



Hab. India generally, Burma, Ceylon, Straits, and Sylhet. 



This dragonfly has a common habit of perching on prominent pieces of 

 twig or on the twigs of bare trees. Numbers may often be seen occupy- 

 ing the branches of one tree, especially just before sun-down. The males 

 may often be seen resting on the concrete sides of viali''s tanks in com- 

 pounds. 



G enus — L ath k ecista . 



Fig. 20. — Wings of Lathrecista asiatica (x 2). 



