198 



[September, 



NOTES on the BRITISH PRAGONFLIES of the " DALE COLLECTION." 

 BT W. J. LUCAS, 13. A., F.E.S. 



Now that the "Dale Collection," in accordance with the will of 

 the late Charles William Dale, has found a home in Oxford, and is 

 under the care of Prof. E. B. Poulton, it will be possible for ento- 

 mologists to consult it in the Hope Department of the University 

 Museum. To assist the number (still small, but nevertheless increas- 

 ing) of those who are interested in the British Odonata, the following 

 notes of the species contained in the collection have been prepared. 



To look at, this part of the collection is not prepossessing. The 

 specimens arc often badly set, and in poor, to extremely poor, con- 

 dition ; but as regards historic and scientific interest their importance 

 is of the first order, though one would have liked to find them with 

 a cared-for appearance nevertheless. The majority of the specimens 

 bear labels of some kind— often two, or even more— but still there is 

 unfortunately a considerable number without any sign of history 

 whatever. This is a pity, for James Charles Dale, the father of the 

 late owner, and John Curtis were fellow workers and collectors, and 

 there is little doubt that the figures* in Curtis' " British Entomology " 

 are taken as much from Dale's insects as from his own, and to this is 

 due to some extent the importance of the "Dale Collection." 



In this paper the Anisopterides are passed in review, the Zijgop- 

 terides being reserved for a later occasion. The former are contained 

 in seven and a half drawers, and comprise the respectable total of 

 1GS insects. All are here referred to, although it may be possible to 

 say nothing about them except the negative fact that they are un- 

 labelleil. The sex is given in every case. (J. C.) means that the label 

 is in J. C. Dale's handwriting, (C. W.) in that of his son; "filled 

 in " is added if the label is partly printed. There may of course be 

 now and then a little doubt as to the identity of the handwriting, 

 but there usually is not ; that of C. W. Dale is at times barely de- 

 cipherable. Sometimes a label is pinned at the side of an insect ; this 

 is indicated by the addition of " at side." In one or two cases these 

 side labels are apparently incorrect. The numbers in brackets give 

 the order in which the insects stand in the cabinet. 



Commander J. J. Walker has been kind enough to check the 

 many numbers and dates, and to assist me in recognising the hand- 

 writing of both J. C. and C. W. Dale, though that of the latter 

 could not easily be mistaken. 



* The drngonflies, however, are three only. 



