DRAGONFLIES IN 1897. 35 



rhinia dubia over on the Delamere heaths. The place of the 

 latter was taken by lots of Sympetrum scoticum. One afternoon 

 in July, just as the sun was getting near the horizon and I was 

 facing west for home, I came across numbers of L. quadrimaculata 

 resting on the tops of the heather. Unlike /E. grandis, they 

 retire early. There they were, at varying intervals, with their 

 wings spread out and glistening, for all the world like distant 

 windows in the setting sun. Far away, for a long distance on 

 the heath, I could easily make them out. 



My last dragonfly hunt at Delamere was on August 21st, 

 when I went in quest of Lestes sponsa, a charming insect with its 

 bronze green, chocolate bronze, and cobalt blue, — and all fast 

 colours ! The day was unfavourable, — showery-looking, and 

 with a strong south-west wind. I stirred up two or three ; but I 

 was indebted to another romance for the lot I netted. When 

 about tired out, we spied, miles away to the south-west and just 

 on the sky-line, a bit of black cloud. This represented a drench- 

 ing shower rattling along as fast as an express train. " Now, 

 my friend," said I, "we shall have to go all round the marsh 

 before we reach those trees on the other side only fifty yards off 

 us in a straight line, and we shall meet the shower ! But stay ! 

 let us try crossing the marsh itself, which here appears dried 

 up." Away we go where, possibly, foot rarely crossed before ! 

 Let the crust give way, and down we go full fathom five ! But 

 we are across, the sun still shines, and L. sponsa, sheltered by 

 the wood, is on the wing in hundreds. A glance at the nearing 

 shower shows that we have beaten it hollow, and with several 

 minutes to spare. These are made good use of, and, as we 

 settle down behind fern and heather and under leafy canopy, we 

 pin out our sponsa from the cyanide-botfcles while the storm 

 raves and splashes overhead. 



As it appears that many of the brethren are taking up this 

 fascinating group, let me presume to offer a word or two of 

 advice on setting. Set your dragonflies on the flat. Abhor the 

 " saddle." For when did any dragonfly — I had almost said any 

 insect — ever curve its wings ! Let the grooves be wide enough 

 to admit" the legs and thorax. Let them be deeply corked and 

 then papered, — the paper just high enough in the groove so that 

 the top of the thorax is on a level with the board. Use black 

 pins. I use Kirby, Beard & Co's. No. 4 for large, and No. 9 for 

 small dragonflies. Let the pins stand perpendicularly. Lift up 

 the wings and set the legs first, the paper in the groove will 

 show them up well. Next set the wings with card-braces and 

 paper ; the upper slanting a trifle upwards, the lower a little 

 downwards. Then see that the body is perfectly straight. Last, 

 but not least, set the head, not looking waggishly to the right or 

 left, or despondingly down, but straight and flat on the paper. 



Chester : November 9th, 1897. 



