24 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



SOME NOTES ON THE DRAGON-FLIES OF THE 

 ALEXANDRA DISTRICT. 



By F. L. Billinghurst. 

 {Read hefore the Field Naturalists' Cliih of Victoria, \Oth March, 1902.) 

 In the " Memoirs of the Zoological Society of France," for 1901, 

 vol. xix., p. 220, appears a paper by Mr. R. Martin, entitled 

 " The Odonata of the Australian Continent," which gives a list 

 of all known species authentically reported from one part or 

 another of Australia proper, with descriptions of new species. 

 The total number listed is 107, but it must, of course, be under- 

 stood that, this group having been so little worked, tlie number 

 is open to be largely augmented. This is shown by the fact that 

 during the three summers I have been collecting for Mr. Martin 

 in the Alexandra district, which is about 100 miles north-east 

 of Melbourne, I have forwarded him 41 out of the 107 from the 

 immediate district, 9 of which were quite new, and one other 

 not previously described in print ; and since I received the list I 

 have sent him two more which do not appear in it, and which he 

 has not yet identified. They are probably also new. 



Having now something authentic to work from, I propose to 

 give a list of my 41 species, with a few general remarks on their 

 habits and appearance. 



For the study of Odonata a well-watered country is necessary, 

 the larvae being aquatic, and in this respect I have been fortunate, 

 Alexandra being situated in the valley of the Upper Goulburn, 

 and surrounded by mountainous country. The Goulburn itself is 

 a first-rate hunting ground ; also the marshes and lagoons in its 

 valley, and the creeks and smaller rivers which come down from 

 the mountains are productive of many good things. 



The Odonata are divided into three families, or seven sub- 

 families, but as these were explained in some notes of mine 

 published in the Victorian Naturalist, vol. xvii., p. 5 (May, 1900), 

 there is no necessity to recapitulate, and I can proceed at once 

 to enumerate the species found here under their respective 

 families and sub-families : — 



Family I. — Libellulid/e. 

 Sub-family — Libellulin?e. 



Diplax melanopsis, Selys. 



„ nigrescens, Martin, nov, sp. 



„ bipunctata, Brauer. 



,, rubra, Kirby. 

 Orthetrum caledonicum, Brauer. 



The four species of Diplax are all comparatively small, red- 

 bodied insects, the first three being marked with black ; B. ritbra 

 entirely brilliant red. The females are yellow, marked with 



