Tillyard. — Description of a New Dragon-fly . 343 



Art. XXXIV. — Description of a New Dragon-fly belonging to the Genus 



Uropetala Selys. 



By R. J Tillyard ; M.A., Sc.D. (Cantab.), D.Sc. (Sydney), F.L.S., F.E.S., 

 Entomologist and Chief of the Biological Department, Cawthron Institute 

 of Scientific Research, Nelson, N.Z. 



[Head before the Nelson Institute, 23rd December, 1920 ; received by Editor, 31st December, 

 1920 ; issued separately, 8th August, 1921.] 



Plate LIII. 



Through the much-appreciated kindness of Dr. C. Chilton, Professor of 

 Biology at Canterbury College, Christchurch, I was enabled, during the 

 summer of 1919-20, to spend a few days at the Cass Biological Laboratory. 

 In company with Dr. Chilton and Mr. Charles Lindsay, of the Canterbury 

 Museum, I collected a number of dragon-flies from the streams around 

 Cass ; later on I obtained a number of the same species from Arthur's 

 Pass. In both localities a large Uropetala was seen flying about, and a 

 number of specimens of both sexes were obtained. At first I took this fine 

 dragon-fly to be Uropetala carovei White, recorded from many localities 

 in New Zealand, and also being the only known member of the genus. 

 Later on, however, I obtained specimens of Uropetala from Lake Wakatipu, 

 and also from the North Island, which in many characters did not agree 

 with those taken at Cass and Arthur's Pass. It became evident that there 

 were two species of Uropetala present in my collections, one of which 

 agreed closely with the descriptions given by White and de Selys for 

 U. carovei, while the other was undescribed. It is this latter species which 

 occurs at Cass and Arthur's Pass. 



While at Cass we located an area in a small mountain-swamp where 

 the holes made by the larvae of this dragon-fly were abundant. By merely 

 inserting one's fingers into these holes, which are made in peaty soil, and 

 are about \ in. in diameter, and by working one's hand downwards, 

 enlarging the hole at the same time, until a depth of from 10 in. to more 

 than 1 ft. is attained, the larvae can be felt as hard inert obiects at the 

 bottom, and can be hauled out with ease. Unlike the larvae of U. carovei, 

 which, as far as my experience goes, are very fierce and liable to snap at 

 one's fingers when handled, these larvae were very inert, and could be 

 handled with safety. As the last three instars were obtained, this habit 

 is not likely to be due to the approach of ecdysis.. for more than fifty 

 larvae were taken out and handled. I hope later on to make a careful 

 comparative study of these two larval forms, with a view to the discovery 

 and recording of any morphological differences that may be present. In 

 the meantime, Mr. W. C. Davies, Curator of the Cawthron Institute, has 

 very kindly offered me an excellent photograph of the larva of U. carovei, 

 taken from a specimen found in the Wairarapa district, for publication in 

 this paper. From this photograph, which is reproduced in Plate LIII, a very 

 good idea can be obtained of the general appearance of these larvae. As 

 far as I know, no accurate figure has yet been published of- the larva of 

 U. carovei, and I wish to thank Mr. Davies for this excellent photograph. 



I wish to dedicate this new species, whose description follows, to 

 Dr. Chilton as a memorial of the excellent work which he has done, and 

 is doing, in connection with the Cass Biological Station. 



