86 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



and markings, not in relation to descent but to environment, and 

 as the result of adaptation. Such matters were formerly held as 

 ultimate facts ; a moth was either grey or white because its 

 nature compelled it so to be ; the case admitted no further inves- 

 tigation. Now, however, the specialization of colour and form is 

 a distinct department of Biology, and we have books such as 

 Poulton's ' Colours of Animals,' a work of the deepest interest, 

 treating of a subject which simply had no meaning a genera- 

 tion ago. 



(To be continued.) 



AMONG THE DRAGONFLIES in 1893. 

 By W. J. Lucas, B.A. 



The bright and forward spring of 1893 saw the dragonflies, 

 like other insects, very early on the wing. My first capture was 

 a specimen of one of our noblest species, Libellula quadrimaculata, 

 Linn., which was taken in Surrey on April 30th, by the edge of the 

 Black Pond in Claremont Woods, near Esher. Later in tbe season 

 this locality proved a splendid one for the species. These insects, 

 however, were none too easily taken, for they delighted to forage up 

 and down, usually out of reach of the net, over the surface of the 

 lake, or amongst the lofty reeds that fringe its boggy margin. 



L. quadrimaculata makes a grand show in the cabinet; for, 

 whatever may be true of some other species, this one, if only the 

 contents of abdomen and thorax are removed, loses scarcely any 

 of the splendours with which it was adorned when living. The 

 empty shell retains not only its shape, but its colour too. I use 

 no stuf&ng, nor does any appear to be needed. 



This neighbourhood, as well as other districts in the same part 

 of Surrey, yield in good numbers a closely related insect, Platetrum 

 depressum, Linn. The treatment mentioned for L. quadrimaculata 

 succeeds even better, if possible, with P. depressum Should, 

 however, the blue-powdered male show signs of grease, it may be 

 removed with benzine, chloroform, or ether : I have had but one 

 specimen so affected. The earliest specimens of this species, 

 both male and female, that fell under my notice occurred in the 

 New Forest, near Lyndhurst, on May 7th. The pursuit of 

 P. depressum is a somewhat exciting matter, and its capture 

 often requires a considerable amount of perseverance ; for though 

 the insect does not aj)pear to be at all timid, it is nevertheless 

 very restless. After allowing one to approach almost within 

 striking distance it suddenly darts off, but as likely as not returns 

 almost directly, and, may be, to the identical spray from which 

 it started. Patience, however, usually finds our friend a prisoner 

 in the end. 



