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STUDIES IN THE LIFE-HISTORIES OF AUSTRALIAN 

 ODONATA. 



Part ii. Life-History of diphlebia lestoides Selys. 

 By R. J. TiLLYARD, M.A., F.E.S. 



(Plate xxxiii.). 



The beautiful dragon% which is the subject of this paper, is 

 the only representative of the family Calopterygidce found in the 

 temperate parts of Australia. In tropical Queensland a closely 

 allied species, D. euphoedides Tillyard, is found. These two 

 species are the only known members of a peculiar and isolated 

 genus, whose nearest allies must be sought for amongst the 

 numerous Malayan representatives of the family. 



Comparatively, very little appears to be known of the early 

 stages of the Calopterygidce. The great majority of the species are 

 found only in the Tropics, and there seems to be nobod}^ available 

 who can spare the large amount of time and trouble required to 

 study them in their native haunts. The life-histories of various 

 species of Ccdopteryx and Hetcerina, however, which inhabit 

 Europe and North America, have been thoroughly worked out, 

 and at least one remarkable nymph of a tropical genus {Euphma) 

 appears to have been studied. The latter is, I believe, unique, 

 amongst Odonate njunphs, in possessing paired gill-liiaments along 

 the sides of the abdomen, similar structures being commonly 

 found in the nymphs of Ephemeridce. It was, therefore, apparent 

 that much new and interesting information might be expected 

 from the discovery of the nymph of Diphlebia. Whether it 

 would shew similarity of form or structure to Catopteryx, or 

 whether it might not even possess some remarkable structure 

 peculiar to itself, as in the case of Euphcea, were questions on 

 which I was eager to throw some light; so that it was with more 



