GOMPHUS 97 
43. Gomphus ventricosus Walsh 
Walsh ’63, p. 249: Mtk. Cat. p. 98: Howe ’18, p. 33: Garm. ’27, p. 166. 
Length 51 mm. Expanse 63 mm. Mass., Pa., Mich., Ill. 
A dainty little club-tail, having a greenish body brightly striped with brown, 
and a blackish abdomen. Face and occiput yellow, the latter black-margined only 
next the eyes. Thoracic stripes of the first pair are narrow and parallel-sided, 
confluent above and below across the carina, and hardly wider than stripe 2. 
Stripe 2 is rather broad, partly separated above, then confluent with stripe 3 
for a space, then separated again lower down by a narrow green line. Stripe 3 
is narrower, well defined. Stripe 4 is abbreviated above, extending only a little 
above the spiracle. Stripe 5 is narrow and obscure, but continuous. Wings 
hyaline with brown stigma. Legs blackish, the bases paler. The middorsal line 
of yellow triangles on the black abdomen ends on segment 7. The large yellow 
spots on the widely expanded sides of 8 and 9 do not touch the lateral margin. 
44. Gomphus dilatatus Rambur 
Ramb. ’42, p. 155: Mtk. Cat. p. 91: Calv. ’21, p. 224, and ’23, p. 87. 
Length 70 mm. Expanse 92 mm. Fla., Ga. 
The largest species of the genus. Face with two black cross-stripes and with 
a black lower border to the labrum. Occiput yellow, narrowly margined with 
black. Thoracic stripes of the first pair very broad and broadly dilated forward, 
broader than the adjacent pale stripes which by confluence with stripe 2 below 
they almost surround. Stripe 2 free above, narrowly separated from stripe 3, 
but confluent with the cross-band at the collar. Stripes 4 and 5 complete and of 
moderate width. Legs black; the hind femora and tibiae below armed with very 
numerous sharp close-set spines. Wings hyaline, lightly tinged with yellowish 
at base, and with black veins. The dorsal stripe of the abdomen is obsolete on 
the middle segments, represented by a long triangular basal spot on 7 three- 
fourths as long as that segment; 8-10, black above; 7-9 broadly yellow on the 
widely dilated side margins. 
This species is common on the lower Chipola River in west Florida. 
The adult goes steaming along in steady horizontal flight two or three 
feet above the open river with tail aloft, and wings scarcely showing 
vibration. It is a striking figure. The slender middle part of the ab- 
domen is inclined upward and the broadly dilated end segments are 
held parallel with the course of flight, but at a higher level than ae 
of the bulky, striped thorax. 
Back and forth it goes, steadily, easily, as ruler of the lesser life over 
the open stream. Once in a while it picks a blackwing (Agrion macu- 
latum) for food, and carries the long, limp captive away to a resting 
place and feeding place among the willows. 
The nymphs live in the muddy banks of the river, and clamber sev- 
eral feet up the swollen bases of the tupelo trees to transform. 
