396 NEW AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF THE FAMILY CALOPTERYGID^, 



occipital ridge. Ei/es black, bordered in front by a bright creamy 

 or yellowish band. Clyjjeus and labium brownish, darker in A 

 than B; labium pale dirty brownish, mouth deeply edged with 

 black. Thorax as in ^J, but with the blue parts replaced by 

 the ground colour of A or B. Underside dusted with grey. Legs 

 black, dusted with grey on underside of femora. Abdomen 

 cylindrical; 8 slightly narrowed basally; 10 very small. Colour 

 as mentioned above and marked as follows :— dorsal ridge black, 

 swelling out in 4-8 into an anal black spot; 3, with a wide black 

 spot three-fourths of the way from the base; 2, with a suspicion 

 of the same. Sides edged with dull black. These markings are 

 very conspicuous in ^, but indistinct in A. Segments 8-10, very 

 much swollen below, ovipositor large, ending in a pale blunt tip 

 pointed slightly upwards and carrying below the tip two curved 

 filaments, black, divergent and inclined downwards, about 

 0*6 mm. long. B has a brown colouration on sides of 9 and 10. 

 Underside, A black, dusted with grey; B shining black. 

 Appendages black, 1 mm., subcornute, separated. 



Hab. — Kuranda, N.Q., Nov.-Feb., where it is fairly abundant 

 on the small and densely wooded mountain creeks, but it is not 

 found along the main river. I have also received specimens from 

 the Cape York district. 



It has a graceful easy flight, often fluttering like a butterfly 

 round twigs and leaves. It is extremely fond of settling on logs 

 or twigs near the water with expanded wings. The females are 

 very retiring, and are generally found a short distance in the 

 bush away from the creek where the males are disporting them- 

 selves. One form of the female is about as common as the other, 

 and it is possible that the difference is only one of age, the form 

 A being the fully matured female; though, as I found both forms 

 common late in the season, I cannot say for certain that this is 

 the case. 



There is no doubt as to the specific distinctness of this beautiful 

 insect, though perhaps it will be as well to give the points of 

 difference between it and D. lesidides Selys, the only other known 

 species of the genus, which is common in Victoria and Southern 



