1 1 4 British Dragiviflics. 



towards one another, but in the evening they were 

 spread out, and the spots and pterostigma were 

 ■dark ; the. bod)-, too, had reached its full length, 

 and the segments at the tip had assumed their 

 dark colour. By the following evening, though the 

 wings were still glossy, the insect had practicall}- 

 assumed its mature colouring. This nymph, which 

 produced a female, was probably one of two that 

 had been waiting at the surface of the water for more 

 than a day beforehand. Another, a male, emerged on 

 June 2. 



Date. 



In the forward spring of 1894 this Dragonfl)- was 

 taken on Esher Common as early as April 25, but in 

 normal years it does not appear till the beginning of 

 May. It continues on the wing till the end of July or 

 beginning of August, my latest capture ha\ing been 

 made on the 7th of the latter month, though in 1895, 

 in Surrey, I tried to catch a Dragonfly, which appeared 

 to belong to this species, as late as September 9. 



Habits. 



Libcllula quadriinaciilata seems to have a liking for 

 boggy pools, and perhaps prefers those situated in fir- 

 woods. In general its flight is rapid, though of short 

 duration ; but as it seems to be very watchful when 

 settled, the insect is not an easy one to capture. It 

 may sometimes be taken at rest late in the afternoon 

 (for it retires early) on the heather, where it ma}- 

 possibly be betrayed by its wings, though perhaps not 

 often in such a striking manner as once fell under the 



