582 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.52. 



During the day, I took Aeshna multicolor about the hike in the floor 

 of the valley, and Aeshna palmata among the willow thickets. On 

 returning at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I found a single Aeshna catch- 

 ing Diptera in an open giade of the hillside, where, with numerous 

 short turns up and down and sidewise, and an occasional figure eight, 

 and various volplanings, it was exhibiting the same ease on the wing 

 as shown by a Brechmorhoga. On catching it I saw it was a nevaden- 

 sis teneral. Bear Valley lies at an altitude of 4,500 feet, the lowest 

 altitude at which I took this species, 



I next met this species at Donner Lake, Cahforma, at an elevation 

 of 5,200 feet, where it was associated with Aeshna palmata and an 

 occasional Anax Junius. Here on cool windy days it hunted among 

 the willow thickets, but on bright, warm days it spent most of its 

 time hunting high and wide, much after the habit of multicolor, seldom 

 coming lower than 10 or 15 feet above the ground. But even on the 

 cool days, when fl}ang frequently in the protection of the willow 

 clumps, it never persisted in confining itself to a low, thoroughly pro- 

 tected beat as does umhrosa or palmata, both of which will work many 

 minutes at a time on a short beat only 4 to 6 feet above the ground. 

 On July 25, in Donner Creek, 200 feet from the outlet of the lake, I 

 took several exuviae clinging to a log, and one nymph, which was 

 ready to emerge. 



Along Truckee River, California, for the 9 miles from Squaw Creek 

 to Lake Tahoe, and along the west shore of Lake Tahoe, ncvadcnsis 

 was common, frequently three or four being in sight at the same time. 

 Observations here indicated that their flight was free and wide, the 

 individual making from one to a half dozen wide turns in an open 

 space, and then wandering on into the next glade, with an occasional 

 few niinutes hanging from some limb usually high in the air. 



I next met this species at an elevation of 6,500 feet in a small 

 meadow-like openuig of the fir forest, where the Rubicon Springs 

 road crosses McKinney Creek (California). Here at 9 o'clock in the 

 mornmg it was cool and m an hour I had caught five or six on the 

 wing. They were flying low and many stopped flight to hang on 

 weeds only a foot or two high. Such a one would hunt for a suitable 

 weed, and after trying one or two, would hang from the underside of 

 one of Ithe leaves, when it was easily taken by approachhig from the 

 opposite side, and slapping the net over both weed and dragonfly. 

 Also I saw several flying close over the surface of the creek on short 

 beats, apparently after small insects which hovered over the surface 

 of the water. No other species of Aeshna was seen or taken here or 

 elsewhere around Lake Tahoe, with the possible exception of a 

 single exuvia from the McKinney Lakes which Doctor Walker referred 

 to palmata. 



I finally found this species in its greatest numbers about four lakes 

 on the divide between McKinney Creek and the Rubicon River 



