20 NEW ZEALAND NEUROPTERA. 



base, becoming dull purple towards the tip ; the end of each segment is 

 marked with a shaded ring of black, and the beginning of the succeeding 

 segment with a sharp, fine ring of white. The anal appendages are 

 separated, sub-cylindrical, yellowish, shorter than the last segment, the 

 valves slightly toothed at the tips. 



The transformations of this dragon-fly probably closely 

 resemble those of the next species, but the nymphs are 

 very rarely met with, and have not } T et, I think, been 

 closely observed. The perfect insect first appears in 

 December and becomes steadily commoner until about 

 the middle of February, when its numbers then begin 

 to decline. The males first appear and seem to be 

 gradually supplanted by the females ; stragglers of both 

 sexes are, however, occasionally observed as late as the 

 beginning of May, and, in fact, this dragon-fly is often 

 one of the last insects to leave us in the autumn. 



Genus XANTHAGRION, de Selys (1876). 



" Head, thorax, and abdomen medium. The post-ocular rays clear, 

 united by an occipital line. Lower sector of the triangle arising from the 

 basal nervule of the post-costal ; pterostigma lozenge-shaped, short on all 

 the wings ; post-nodal nervules 11 to 15. No spine on the vulva of the 

 female. 



" Distribution. — Australia and New Zealand. 



" The New Zealand species differ from those of Australia in having the 

 basal post-costal nervule placed between the first and second ante-nodals 

 instead of below the first " (Hutton). 



XANTHAGKION ZEALANDICUM. 



Telebasis zealandica, McLachlan, Ann. Mag. Nat. 

 His., ser. 4, vol. 12, p. 35 (1873); Trans. N.Z. Inst., 

 vol. vi., App., p. xciii. Xanthagrion zealandlcum, de 

 Selys, Synopsis Agrionines, p. 232 (1876). 



(Plate IV., fig. 1 ? variety, 2 ? , 3 $ , 4 nymph 

 magnified ; Plate III., fig. 3 head of nymph with 

 mask extended (much magnified). 



This beautiful little dragon-fly is extremely common 

 throughout the country. 



The expansion of the wings of the male is If inches, and the length of 

 the body 1£ inches. The abdomen is brilliant red with black rings at the 

 sutures. The head and thorax are black above, with long brownish hairs; 

 there is a large red spot behind each eye, the two connected by a transverse 

 red line. The prothorax is black, its borders and three discal spots are 

 red ; the posterior lobe is rounded and but little projecting. The thorax 

 has two bright-red lines ; the sides are reddish, with two black lines. The 

 legs are bright-red, with black spines. The superior anal appendages are 

 short, sub-triangular, with an obscure tubercle inside. The inferior 



