464 NEW AND RAKE AUSTRALIAN AGRIONID^, 



Afierwaids, I was very curious to find out why the males 

 acted in this manner, and began to watch for pairs. 

 Presently, I noticed a female flying gently in a small open 

 space of the reeds, and suddenly, about a yard or so away, a 

 male began showing his "white ensign," with Lhe result that 

 the female flew close to him at once, alighting on the next 

 reed-stem. The female then began co climb up the stem, 

 mo nil 1/ Iter abdomen from auU to side in a peculiar manner, 

 and so displaying to the male its creamy-white underside 

 and ovipositor ; which, however, are not nearly so conspicuous 

 as the white parts of the male. Finally, the courtship 

 appearing satisfactory, they both flew out from the reeds a 

 few inches, and the male secured the female in the usual 

 manner. I could not see exactly how the female was held, 

 but I think there is no doubt that it is the superior append- 

 ages that are used as claspers, the inferior being too weak 

 *and ribbony to afford a strong grasp. This pair were cap- 

 tured, but disengaged in the net. A similar performance 

 was noticed again later on, and the pair captured. There 

 can be no doubt, therefore, that the males adopt these peculiar 

 tactics to show the females where they are hiding. 



Dr. F. F. Laidlaw* records, of Blihiorypha fe/iesfrelht, 

 that the male "dances in the air before the female, displaying 

 white surface of tibise. Mr. E. B. Williamson says that 

 Calojtteryx maculata, male, displays a shining white ventral 

 apical abdominal spot, while at rest, by "curving the abdo- 

 men so that the apex is brought upward and forward, the 

 hindwings meanwhile being fluttered rapidly while the front 

 wings are held motionless." These two cases seem to be un- 

 doubted instances of a kind of courtship, so that the habit 

 now recorded for Heitiiphlebia, is not quite without a paral- 

 lel, though in some ways more remarkable than either of the 

 above. 



•Fasciculi Malayenses, p. 169. 

 fDragoiiflies i)f Buriiia and Lower Siam, Calopterygince, p. 17.'). 



