74 British Dragonflies. 



were laid naturally, though not in \\atcr. About a 

 month after being laid, the unhatched nymph could 

 be seen inside one Q'g'g at least. When first laid 

 they were quite pale, but before hatching became 

 deep yellowish. 



Nymph. 



On pages i8 and 19 will be found some account of 

 the early stages of this n^-mph, the newly-hatched 

 insect being represented on a large scale in Fig. 6. 

 A description of the last stage before the disclosure 

 of the imago I have not yet been able to obtain. 



Date. 



June 14 is the earliest record I have been able to 

 obtain, and in 1897 I took them on the vv'ing as late as 

 November 14, but they seem to be at their best during 

 August and September. 



Habits. 



Though one of the commonest of British Dragonflies, 

 the male, when full coloured, is one of the most 

 handsome, and the appearance of this insect is some- 

 times enhanced b)' the addition of bright red patches 

 on the basal part of the wings, caused by the presence 

 of masses of red acari* (parasitic mitesj. A continental 

 species of the same genus, 6\ nicridionale, is, however, 

 more often and sometimes more completely adorned in 

 the same way. The insect before us has very well 

 developed that habit often found in Dragonflies of 



* E. M. M., 1864, ]i. 100; 187(1, p. 95. 



