1909. I 231 



where collectins; was a little less difficult. Here another fell to my 

 net after miieh perseverance, and then only did it occur to me to look 

 and see if it really was G. cenea. A glance at the lower anal appendage 

 told me at once that the insect belonged to the genus Somatochlora, 

 and another glance at the face was sufficient to determine that the 

 species was metalUca. I took three specimens in all that day, all 

 males, though there were large numbers flying round the ponds, 

 along the roads, and in the woods. On August 4th, three more males 

 were netted, and these were in excellent condition. I did not see the 

 female on one occasion. On the latter date special attention was 

 paid to the habits of this fine insect. When flying over water the 

 dragon-fly would keep very close to the branches of the trees and 

 bushes which overhang these ponds, sometimes even passing under 

 them, and keeping quite in the shade. The flight was regular but 

 ra|)id, and no timidity was shown ; but the way in which the dragon- 

 fly avoided the net was most remarkable, and to make a capture was 

 a matter of great difficulty. Small flies were usually caught as food, 

 and in the jaws of a specimen in my cabinet can still be seen the 

 remains of a small Dipteron : I saw no larger prey attacked. One 

 very curious phenomenon I noted in my observations. It was the 

 behaviour of the smaller Odonotn, such as Lestes sponsa and Enal- 

 lagma ci/athir/crum towards a male S. metallica as it flew past in the 

 sunshine. I watched several of these Agrionids darting at the thorax 

 of the larger insect, and evidently causing it considerable annoyance, 

 though it showed this merely by restlessness, and not by attack. At 

 first I conjectured that there were Arachnid parasites on the thorax, 

 which the smaller dragon-flies were trying to get at, but as I could 

 find none of these, I presume that this strange habit, which by-the- 

 way I observed frequent I3' with other individuals, was due to attraction 

 of some sort by the reflection of the sun's rays from the brilliant 

 metallic surface of that part of the insect. It would be interesting to 

 notice if this occurs with other species of OorduUinoG. 



One very remarkable point in the habits of the male was the 

 duration and rapidity of its flight ; the insect was on the wing in- 

 cessantly, but once, while patiently waiting for one to come by, a 

 specimen settled on a twig quite close to me, where I caught it with 

 ease. When flying along hedgerows the insect was almost incredibly 

 swift, settling at long intervals ; but when thus settled it was very shy, 

 and any attempt to approach it was unavailing. Although there are 

 downs richly clothed with heather in the near proximity of these 



