44 DRAGONFLIES OF NORTH AMERICA 
capture a female while ovipositing. If she is held by the tips of her 
closed fore wings, leaving the hind wings free to flap, and the tip of 
her abdomen dipped repeatedly in the surface of a tumbler full of 
water, she will usually freely liberate her eggs. She will drop them a 
dozen or so at a time and they will at once descend through the water, 
tending apart as they go, to scatter over the bottom. They are white 
at first, but they quickly gather a covering of adherent silt, and become 
quite undiscoverable in a pond. 
The eggs of other groups are best obtained by collecting the stems 
and leaves in which they have been thrust by the ovipositor of the 
female. It is possible to have fresh eggs “‘laid to order” by supplying 
ovipositing females with their favorite places and positions for egg 
laying. For example, soft cat-tail (Typha) stems, aslant at the surface 
and placed well out in the open (away from the denser growth of the 
shores where dangers lurk) are the preferred places of Anax junius 
females for ovipositing. The junior author once obtained an abundance 
of fresh-laid eggs of this species by fastening with tacks a few cat-tail 
stems aslant to the sides of a floating stick, and anchoring it well out 
in a pond. The Anax females promptly and gratefully accepted the 
conveniences provided. 

