74 THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



is most wanted at present is a good monograph on the British 

 Dragonflies, written by a competent person. It should con- 

 tain coloured figures of all the species, drawn from living 

 specimens, and in the case especially of Agrioji and the 

 allied genera, should have magnified figures, clearly showing 

 the shapes of the markings on the second segment of the 

 abdomen, as well as of the anal appendages, which form the 

 best distinguishing characters in the group. But it would be 

 worse than folly for anyone who has not for some years had 

 experience with and paid close attention to the order to 

 attempt anything of the kind. 



THE GENUS ACRONYCTA AND ITS ALLIES. 



By Dr. T. A. CHAPMAN. 



(Contimied from page 29 j. 



Acronycta {Viminia) aiiricoma. — This species, so far as my 

 experience goes, is the least common of all our British species; 

 at least I have so far failed to secure living British examples, 

 and have had to be satisfied with the study of specimens 

 derived from continental ova. It appears to be somewhat 

 localised in a few spots in the south of England, where it 

 occurs occasionally, tolerably freely at sugar, and though I 

 have heard of no considerable captures of recent years, I 

 have heard nothing to show that it is dying out. The in- 

 formation I have obtained from several correspondents goes 

 to show that it is double-brooded, probably invariably so, 

 and its being confined to the extreme south is most likely due 

 to this circumstance, the temperature further north being in- 

 sufficient to secure the double brood. 



Several of our Acronyctas appear to be usually double- 

 brooded on the continent, or at least in many of the warmer 

 districts ; but in England it is their normal habit to be single- 

 brooded, and only aiiricoma appear to insist on being double- 

 brooded. It is therefore somewhat curious that last year I 

 ■obtained continental eggs of the spring laying, that is, the 

 summer brood that ought to have emerged at the end of July 

 and August, but not one did so, all remained over till this 

 year — proved, in fact, to be simply single-brooded. 



It may be convenient to put together my observations on 

 the other species in this matter. Riimicis and tridens are the 



