IQI6. F. F. Larpiaw : Oriental Dragonflies. 23 
9 
P. australasiae, Selys. 
P. australastae, Kirby, Cat. Odonata, p. 183; Tillyard, Proc. Linn. Soc. 
N.S. Wales, XX XVII, 3, p. 469, pl. xlviii, figs. 23-24 ; pl. xlix, fig. 15. 
Range :—India to Australia. 
Recorded Stations :—Pulo Besaor (Selys), Queensland (Selys), 
Cape York to National Park, N.S.W. (Tillyard). 
The males of this species are exceedingly like those of P. 
microcephalum. The build is a trifle more robust than in that 
species, and the three black bands of the thorax are much broader, 
whilst the black marking on segment to of the abdomen is more 
extensive. Examination of the anal appendages of the males will 
facilitate the distinction of the two species. 
I believe the Calcutta specimens can be further differentiated 
from Australian forms by the characters of the anal appendages, 
but have no specimens for comparison. Tillyard, loc. cit., describes 
the superior anal appendages as having the upper lobe shorter 
than the lower; in the Calcutta specimens both lobes appear equal 
in length, whilst the lower appendages in the latter seem to me to 
be rather more conical and tapering. The specimens are, however, 
not in the best of condition and study of further material is neces- 
sary for a satisfactory determination of possible differences. A 
priovt I am inclined to expect the two forms to be moderately 
distinct. 
The Museum collection contains an old specimen of the male 
labelled by Selys. I have found also a single male from Calcutta, 
amongst specimens of Ischnura senegalensis. 
Approximate dimensions : 
@ abdomen 31-32 mm., hind-wing 21 mm, 
e i5 29-30 mm., 21 min. 
” 
P. microcephalum (Ramber). 
P. microcephalum, Kirby, Cat. Odonata, p. 153; Selys, Ann. Mus. Genova, 
(2) X, p. 83 (1891); Martin, Afisston Pavie (sep.), p. 18; Ris, Archiv. 
f. Naturgesch., 1900, p. 198. 
Range :—India, Burma, Tonkin, Malaya to the Bismark 
Archipelago. 
I have recently dealt with this species 
in an account of Odonata found about 
Lake Chilka in Orissa(Mem. Ind. Mus., 
V,p i178, 1915). In the accompanying 
diagrammatic text-figure I show the 
colour pattern of the thorax of the 
female viewed from above The dotted 
areas are brown in colour, the unshaded 
spaces blue. The immature male has 
the same colouring ; in mature males the 
brown is entirely replaced by black on F1G. 1.—Dorsum of thorax 
the three stripes. of P. microcephalum 9. 

