DE AGON-FLIES. 17 



appearance is due to the trout eating the nymphs, though 

 it would seem difficult for the fish to discover an insect so 

 retired in its habits. The female dragon-fly deposits her 

 eggs in the water, beating her body violently on the sur- 

 face whilst doing so. It is therefore possible that, when 

 thus engaged, she is often captured and devoured by 

 the trout. 



This dragon-fly varies considerably in colour as well 

 as in the number of the " ante-nodal nervures " in the 

 fore- wing. 



SOMATOCHLORA GRAYI. 



Epitheca grayi, de Selys, Synopsis Cordulines, 

 p. 49 (1871). 



" Male. — Head with the lips yellowish, the face pale brown, the upper part 

 of the front metallic green. Thorax brown, with metallic-green reflections. 

 Wings slightly tinged, the extreme base ochraceous, especially in the hind- 

 wings, where the colours expand along the membranule ; neuration black, 

 including the costa ; pterostigma small, reddish ; triangle traversed by a 

 nervule in the fore-wing, free in the hind-wing ; three post-trigonal cellules 

 followed by two rows ; the anal margin excavated, but almost filled in by the 

 membranule, which is brownish-grey, paler at the base ; 8 ante-nodals in the 

 fore-wing. Legs black, the anterior femora and an external band on the 

 intermediate yellowish. Abdomen inflated at the base, a little constricted at 

 the third segment, then broadening and flattening to the eighth, afterwards 

 attenuated ; oreillettes prominent. It is blackish above, excepting the first 

 and second segments, which are yellowish, and the third to the tenth have 

 on each side a broad yellow spot occupying their basal half. Superior anal 

 appendages blackish, almost double the length of the tenth segment, villose, 

 cylindrical and straight in their first three-quarters, the apex expanding and 

 forming a sort of club curved suddenly outwards almost at a right angle to 

 the inner edge, the outer edge simply inclined, the extremity blunt, almost 

 truncate. Seen in profile the upper side has a small point, directed in front. 

 Inferior appendages shorter, yellowish, sub-triangular, slightly curved up- 

 wards, with a blunt point. Length of the abdomen, 39 mm. ; of the hind- 

 wing, 33 mm. 



•'Female unknown. 



" Locality. — New Zealand " (Hutton). 



I am unacquainted with this species. 



SOMATOCHLORA BRAUERI. 



Epitheca braueri, de Selys, Synopsis Cordulines, 

 p. 50 (1871). 



" Male. — Head brown, rhinarium yellow, upper side of the front greenish, 

 base of the eyes yellowish-brown. Thorax brown, the upper portions and 

 sides bronzy green. Wings tinged, slightly ochraceous at the extreme 

 base ; the posterior with the anal margin excavated, membranule large, 

 blackish, paler at the base; pterostigma small, reddish- brown ; triangles 

 divided in all the wings ; 8 ante-nodal nervules in the fore-wings and 6 in the 

 hind ; 7 or 8 post-nodals. Legs brown, the tarsi blackish. Abdomen slender, 

 brown, with bronzy reflections, with a sinuated dorsal blackish bronzy band, 

 not well defined, prolonged over all the segments, the articulations blackish ; 



3 



