142 DRAGONFLIES OF NORTH AMERICA 
wing as was Anaz junius, but the nymphs and nymph skins were far 
less common. Two adults were found ensnared in the strong webs 
of the spider Argiope trifasciata.”’ 
Abundant about alkaline ponds from June to August. 
06. Aeschna mutata Hagen 
Hag. ’61, p. 124: Mtk. Cat. p. 113: Walk, 712, p. 198: Garm. ’27, p. 192. 
Length 58 mm. Expanse 93 mm. Ind., Ohio, Mass. 
Walker (’12) describes this as a ‘‘species of average size and build, with a 
rather short abdomen, and somewhat long and narrow wings.” 
Face pale bluish, yellowish near ocular margin. Occiput yellowish, edged 
laterally with black. Lateral thoracic pale stripes distinct and straight, the 
first parallel sided, the second slightly wider above. Legs black, femora with a 
basal external pale streak. Wings hyaline; costa brownish yellow; stigma dark 
brown. 
Williamson (’08) reports it as flying slowly in and out, with much 
stationary fluttering among the leaf stems. 
On bright mornings when the eastern sky was unobscured they were hunting 
low over the western side of the marsh at 4:45 o’clock. One cloudy morning they 
did not appear at all. After 9 or 10 o’clock their visits to the marsh were rare 
and they were more wary, leaving the marsh when any effort was made to 
approach them and flying directly to or above the tree tops. A. mutata spends 
most of the day after 9 or 10 A.M. either resting in the trees or flying about over 
the tree tops, very probably the latter. As is usual in the genus the night is 
spent clinging to the tree trunks or larger limbs at some elevation. 
97. Aeschna umbrosa Walker 
Walk. ’08, p. 380, 390: Mtk. Cat. p.114: Walk. ’12, p. 165: ’12a, p. 31: Davis 
13, p. 22: Kndy. ’15, p. 344: Howe ’19, p. 44: ’23, p. 124: Ndm. ’27, p. 19: 
Garm. ’27 p. 191. 
Var: occidentalis Walk. 
Length 64 mm. Expanse 96 mm. Atlantic to Pacific Coast 
Face and occiput pale brownish. Labrum pale, margined above and below by 
a narrow black line. Lateral thoracic pale stripes darkly margined and with 
more or less parallel sides, although the first stripe is often widened and bulbous 
below. Abdominal segment 2 has a similarly conspicuous stripe with a sinuate 
anterior margin. Legs brown, paler externally. Wings hyaline with a slight violet 
tinge and touches of brown anteriorly and basally; costa brown, stigma tawny. 
Walker (’12a) says it is an exception to all other eastern species 
in that it frequents small woodland streams and ditches or small pools 
on the edges of woods, never being found associated with the other 
species in open marshes and shows a marked preference for more or 
less shady haunts while its near ally constricta is most often seen 
