BY R. J. TILLYARD. 



387 



insect fading when dead, his description varies considerably from 

 that of the living insect itself. Last December I took a long 

 series of this insect at Alexandra (Vic), and the description I 

 made from them corresponds almost exactly with that of the 

 North Queensland specimens which I took two years ago, although 

 the Victorian insects are slightly larger. This species exhibits 

 strong dimorphism, having both an ordinary type of female 

 (similar to the male) and also a fairly abundant red form, nearly 

 as common as the other. 



The colour of the male is a rich bronze-green, not a brilliant 

 green as stated by M. Martin. The dimorphic female is a deep 

 brick-red, not yellow or orange. The following is a comparative 

 description of the two females : — 



A. splendida Martin Q. 



Total length 20-23mra.; abdomenl7-19mm.; forewing ll-14mm.; 

 hindwinoj 10-13 mm. 



Wings 



Pterostigma rhomboidal, 0*5 mm , dull olive-brown. 



Nodal Indicator 



7 

 6-7 



Form A. 

 Head. — Eyes black above. 



greenish beneath, orbits black 

 underneath. Epicraniinn bril- 

 liant bronze, giving copper-red 

 reflections; behind each eye is a 

 large s^jot of deep metallic blue. 

 Postclypeus pale blue shading 

 to greenish in centre ; the blue 

 colouration 



enlarged 



on to 



the eyes; anteclypeus metallic 

 hro7izy -green, clypeal suture 

 black. Labrum pale blue ; 

 labium dull dirty yellowish- 

 white, mouth tipped with black. 



Form B (dimorph). 



Head. — Eyes black. Epi- 

 cranium deep bronze, lacking 

 the m,etallic blue postocular spots', 

 a broad transverse yellowish 

 band in front extending to the 

 eyes and surrounding the 

 clypeus. Postclypeus black ; 

 anteclypeu sand labrum yellow- 

 ish; labium pale dirty yellowish- 

 white. 



