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THE DRAGONFLTES OF SOUTH-WESTERN 

 AUSTRALIA. 



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



(Plates xxxiv.-xxxvi.) 



Few parts of Australia have been more neglected, from an ento- 

 mological point of view, as the West. The fact that enormous 

 tracts of land there are practically without a useful rainfall, 

 and carry but an insignificant insect fauna, seems to have deterred 

 collectors from working this portion of the continent as carefully 

 as they might have done. Probably a very large portion of the 

 west would not repay the trouble and expense of visiting it ; but 

 it must nevertheless be borne in mind that the State of Western 

 Australia in itself contains between one-third and two-fifths of 

 of the whole continent, and that in this vast area there are many 

 rich districts, blessed with an abundant rainfall, and exceedingly 

 rich in insect life. 



One of these rich districts is the South-Western District, lying 

 roughly between Perth on the north-west and Albany on the 

 south-east, and in particular that portion of it which has a regular 

 annual rainfall of from 30-50 inches. Here are found immense 

 forests of jarrah and karri timber, covering vast areas of rich 

 soil which will be capable of great possibilities when the district 

 is opened up. As no systematic collecting of Odonata has so far 

 been carried out in Western Australia, I did not attempt to 

 cover a vast area superficially in the three weeks I had at my 

 disposal, but rather to take a well-defined and not too large 

 district and work it thoroughly. In deciding on the South- 

 western District, I was mainly guided by the rainfall. This is 

 very regular, and falls in the winter months. The summer is 

 dry and fairly hot; and after the last rains have fallen the rivers. 

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