The Odonata or Dragonflies of South Africa. 419 



backward ; obloug black spots at posterior half of segments 4 to 7, 

 fused to dorsal black at eud of each segment, narrowly 4-5, broadly 

 6-7 ; eightli segment with sides wholly black, only cuneiform basal 

 lateral spots remaining yellow ; !)-10 wholly black ; dorsum of seg- 

 ments 2-4 bright orange to scarlet red. Wings slightly stained with 

 gi'eyish yellow : broad, deep golden-yellow basal spot on second pair, 

 to basal side of i and anal angle ; smaller and not so deeply coloured 

 spot ou first pair. Pterostigma whitish at both ends, diffusely greyish 

 ferruginous in middle ; membranule greyish ferruginous. 



9 . Very similar to male, but no red colour on face, frons and 

 dorsum of basal segments of abdomen. Colour of basal spot in hind 

 wings lighter yellow. 



S , Abd. 27, h<Iw. 29, jyt. < 3 mm. ? , 24, 30 < 3. 



Widely distributed in tropical Africa, East and West, also recorded 

 from Nossi Be and recently by Mr. Campion from Assumption Island, 

 of the Aldabra Group in the Indian Ocean. 



HELOTHEMIS (Karsch, 1890). 

 The single species representing this genus is a very close allv to 

 Trilhemis. The absence of the incomplete last ante-nodal cross-vein 

 seems to be a regular character, and since great importance (evidently 

 exaggerated in some cases) is given to the pi-eseuoe or absence of this 

 vein, the genus may stand, though with doubtful rights. 



Helothemis doesalis (Kambur, 1842). 

 S. Afr. Mus. : 1 (^ , 1 9 (old specimens, no locality) ; 1 9 > Boksburg, 

 Transvaal ; 1 (^, Salisbury (24 . xii. 1911). Brit. Mus. : I S , Cape ; 

 1 t? , Transvaal ; 2 f^ , 1 9 . Johannesburg (1903, H. Crawford -Cruger) ; 



1 cJ, Boksburg, Johannesburg (C. H. Pead) ; 1 9 , Willow Grange, 

 Mooi River, Natal (i, ii . 1913, E. C. Wroughton). Mus. Stockholm : 



2 (J, Catt'raria (J. Wahlberg). Coll. Selys : 1 ^J , 3 9 , Cap de Bonne 

 Esq. Coll. E. B. Williamson : 1 ^, Salisbury (iii . 1900, Marshall). 

 Coll. Ris. : 3 cJ , Botchabelo, 1200 m., Transvaal (17, 18, 19 . ii . 1914, 

 H. Junod). 



(^ . Labium black, sides yellowish ; labrum, autedypeus and frons 

 anteriorly black ; postclypeus and a narrow line at anterior suture of 

 frous dark olivaceous. Frons above and vertex brilliant metallic 

 violet. Thorax and abdomen wholly blackish, turning to violet-blue 

 owing to a rather thin pruinosity. Legs black. Wings hyaline ; 

 small, deep golden-yellow spot at base of second pair, about half way 

 to Ciiq and two cells at membranule. Pterostigma blackish, in some 



