140 DRAGONFLIES OF NORTH AMERICA 
Whitehouse (’17) says: 
I incline strongly to the opinion that the true breeding ground of this northern 
insect is muskeg, which may account for the nymphs being still unknown. 
And then in ’21 Walker writes: 
....1 found at the foot of a mountain, a small mossy bog, fed by springs 
and by the seepage from a small cold mountain brook. The bog was partly en- 
closed by spruce forest and supported a scattered growth of stunted white spruce 
and willows, shrubby cinquefoil, and a few other swamp plants, but, excepting 
the moss, which was partly submerged, there was practically no aquatic vegeta- 
tion, neither standing nor floating. Here were 2 species of dragonflies flying and 
ovipositing. One was Somatochlora franklini Selys, the other Aeshna sitchensis. 
The latter was the commoner of the two, but was far from numerous, the bog 
often appearing for many minutes at a time to be devoid of dragonfly life. 
The males of A. sitchensis flew low, as a rule, only a foot or two from the 
ground; sometimes apparently at random over the bog sometimes following 
the stream for some distance, but not covering a definite beat. They flew less 
swiftly than most Aeshnas and frequently dropped to the surface of the water 
for an instant, in a manner somewhat suggestive of an ovipositing female. 
The females were frequently observed ovipositing in the wet moss about 
the edges of the small puddles in the bog, many of which were less than a square 
foot in area. The manner of oviposition was quite like that of other Aeshnas. 
The insect would light on the moss and thrust the abdomen into it in various 
directions, following no regular plan. Usually she remained at one spot less than 
half a minute, then flew on a few yards and repeated the operation. Once or twice 
copulating pairs were seen to rise from the bog and fly to the neighboring trees. 
A prolonged search was made for nymphs and exuviae, but although Somato 
chlora exuviae were found, no traces of the early stages of sitchensis appeared. 
I was now, however, on the right track. I had at last penetrated the mystery 
of this strange dragonfly’s haunts, which proved to be the same as those of 
the equally little-known Somatochlora. It may be recalled, however, that the 
correct solution of this puzzle was already hinted at by Mr. F. C. Whitehouse. 
He then reports his experiences at another bog a few days later: 
The upper and middle parts of the bog were mossy and practically without 
standing aquatic plants and the open areas of water were mere puddles..... 
The water here was also warmer..... There were very few dragonflies here, 
but I soon observed A. sitchensis flying and ovipositing as before,.... At 
length, however, I found 4 small Aeshna exuviae..... These, which from their 
small size I had no doubt were sitchensis, were supplemented by 3 others the 
following day. 
04. Aeschna californica Calvert 
Calv. 95, p. 504: Mtk. Cat. p. 109: Walk. ’12, p. 184: Kndy. ’15, p. 343: 717, 
p. 596. 
Length 50 mm. Expanse 80 mm. B. C. and Calif. to Utah and Ariz. 
Walker ’12 describes this as a species of somewhat less than medium size, 
with a rather short broad abdomen. Face greenish with a black line on the 
