254 ^November, 



and tbe almost glabrous condition o£ tbe elytra in freslily captured 

 specimens is very noticeable wben tbe insect is compared witb A. 

 hinotatus. Since 1877 I bave occasionally met witb A. nemorivagus at 

 Cbobbam and Woking, but never in any numbers till tbe present year. 

 Tbe red-legged form, like tbat of A. hinotatus, is rare. Tbe insect 

 lives at tbe roots of beatber on sandy commons, generally in company 

 witb Sarpalus lionestus, wbicb it greatly resembles. It also occurs at 

 Bournemoutb. I am indebted to M. Bedel, of Paris, for a typical 

 example of A. nemorivagus for comparison. Tbe species is widely dis- 

 tributed in nortbern and central Europe. 



Horsell, Woking : October 9th, 1896. 



OCEANIC MIGRATION OF A NEARLY COSMOPOLITAN DRAGON-FLY 

 (FANTALA FLAVESCENS, F.). 



BY ROBERT McLACHLAN, P.B.S., &c. 



Lieut. C. "W". Baillie, E.N., Marine Superintendent of tbe Meteor- 

 ological Office, Victoria Street, London, bad tbe kindness to send me 

 two examples of tbe above-named wide-spread Dragon-fly, witb tbe 

 information tbat tbey were caugbt at sea by Capt. "Worcester, E.N.R., 

 of tbe P. and 0. steamer " Victoria." He also sent an extract from 

 tbe sbip's Meteorological Log to tbe following effect : — 



April 11th, 1896, 11 p.m. — "Numerous dragon-flies appeared in 

 cbart room and cabin. Nearest laud Keeling Island, N., 20 W , 290 

 miles; N.W. of Australia, S., 70 E., 900 miles." At tbe time tbe 

 wind was moderate from eastward witb beavy rain. 



Tbe foregoing notes seem to be of especial interest, not only on 

 account of tbe great distance from tbe nearest land (tbe facts even 

 pointing in tbe direction of migration from tbe Australian Continent), 

 but also because tbe insects were observed at night and during heavy 

 rain, suggesting nocturnal migration witb tbe possibility tbat tbey 

 were seeking sbelter from tbe rain, or were attracted by ligbts in tbe 

 cabin. Tbis power of extended migration will also account for tbe 

 extension of tbe species over tbe wbole intertropical zone, and far 

 beyond it on eitber side. And yet, notwitbstanding its considerable 

 size, it is of comparatively weak organization, tbe cbitinous exo-skeleton 

 being of tbin texture. 



Lewisham, London : October 3rd, 1896. 



