262 STQDIKS IN THK LIFE-HISTORIKS OF Al'STRALIAN ODONATA, 



I tried several times to watch the process of oviposition, but the 

 females were so wary that they flew oflf rapidly as soon as I got 

 close to them. All I can be certain of is that they are not 

 accompanied by the male, and that they do not fly hither and 

 thither over the marsh dropping their eggs into it. Every 

 female I flushed appeared to be settled on or near the ground at 

 the edge of a mass of decaying vegetable mud. The probability 

 is that the eggs are actually inserted in decaying tissues. The 

 female possesses a peculiar curved ovipositor, apparently quite 

 suited to this purpose, and the shape of the egg also suggests it. 



Ovum (Plate xxiv., fig.2), 1-7 mm. long, elongate-oval, semi- 

 transparent, yellowish; pointed at one end, rounded at tlie other. 



Larva-Xymph. — The larva lives in the foul muddy ooze of the 

 teatree swamps, where there is no real standing water. It may 

 in truth be said to be only semi-aquatic. During the summer 

 these swamps become quite dry. Hence we must conclude either 

 that the larva is perfect!}' able to exist on dry land, or buried in 

 the dried mud; or that the egg does not hatch until the autumn. 

 In either case, I think there is very little likelihood of its develop- 

 ment extending over more than one season. An examination of 

 the ooze will show that it contains hundreds of insect larvae 

 suitable as food for the voracious Petalura, and its growth is 

 probably exceedingly rapid in so favourable a position. 



The exuvite are found clinging to the tufts of sedge or on to 

 trunks of teatree, often being 2 or 3 feet above ground. They 

 are very difficult to dislodge, the strong curved tarsal claws giving 

 such a tirm hold that usually the whole leg will come out of its 

 socket before the tarsus can be freed. The only way to get 

 perfect specimens is to take them as soon after emergence as 

 possible, choosing those that have climbed into clumps of sedge. 

 Cut the sedge with the scissors above and below the larva; it will 

 then be found that each stem will slide out of its own accord. 

 Some of these larvae crawl three or four yards out of the mud 

 before climbing a suitable twig. They are all caked with mud. 

 In one part of the swamp they were all orange-yellow, in anotlier 

 grey, and in the peaty portion dull black. 



