89(5 PEOCEEDlKGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



2. Bradinopyga (joninata. 



This insect is about the only true example of cryptic colouring in 

 Indian dragonflies. Itself the colour of stone or cement, it usually 

 selects such materials to rest upon during the day. In Madras I have 

 seen it settled on the plastered sides of wells, in Elephanta Island and 

 Poona it is often seen resting on granite rocks in which places it is well- 

 nigh invisible. At dusk it leaves these situations and hawks freely in 

 the open. Before dusk it may commonly be seen hunting for mosc^uitos 

 in the darkened verandahs of bungalows. In the latter situations they 

 have a habit of coming to rest in large numbers on the ropes of chicks, 

 20 to 30 sitting in close alignment and sleeping there throughout the 

 night. 



3. Tholymis tiUanja. 



In Bombay lilkirga appears on the wing soon after 6 p.m. and fi-om 

 then onward till long after dusk a continuous stream of the insects may 

 be seen pursuing each other round the borders of tanks. The males are 

 the first, on the wing and by reason of the opalescent patch on the hind- 

 wings, which has a distinctly luminous effect not unlike phosphorescent 

 paint, it is easily distinguished. 



The females appear later and, as they have not the same distinctive 

 mark as the male, they are seen with difficulty. The luminous mark 

 is obviously a recognition mark of sexual importance and is the only 

 example I know of among the Order although it has a close analogy in 

 the white recognition marks found in the males of several species of 

 jungle-haimting Zygoptera. 



4. Zi/xomma petiolalvni. 

 This dragonfly resembles one of the New World Aeshnines in that it 

 limits its flight to a very short period during the 24 hours. The duration 

 of this is usually for about 20 minutes after sundown. In Poona I have 

 seen it first appear at any time between 6-30 and 7 p.m. and as suddenly 

 disappear shortly after 7 p.m. I have taken it after dark by striking 

 at its shadow as seen silhouetted against the light reflected from the 

 surface of water. The insect may be beaten up from dense jungle during 

 the day and then taken by tracking it to its next resting place. Usually 

 it flies only a few yards and then comes to rest. Sometimes it may be 

 seen flying during the day over densely-shaded pools in deep jungle 

 or not uncommonly it is seen hawking mosc^uitos in the depths of a deep 

 well. There is one such well in the Empress Gardens, Poona. where 

 jietiolal'um may almost invariably be seen during the day but it must be 

 noted that it never leaves these fastnesses until after dusk. (I have 



