NEW PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA. 67 



Libellula quadrimaculata had just begun to emerge, and I was 

 able to watch almost the entire process. After about ten 

 minutes the whole of the imago was out except two or three 

 of the hind segments of the abdomen, and the head and thorax 

 were thrown back as if the insect were helpless. For nearly an 

 hour it " rested " in this apparently uncomfortable position, 

 looking as if it might fall head foremost into the water at any 

 moment. A P. nymphula, whose emergence was watched on 

 April 27th, did not fall back in this way, and the "rest" only 

 lasted about twelve minutes ; while an Agrion puella, caught 

 apparently in the " resting " position, was erect also. To return 

 to quadrimaculata. The insect (a female), without any warning, 

 suddenly swung itself forward, seized the nymph-case, and drew 

 out the rest of its abdomen, and in the position assumed seemed 

 to be clinging to its own dead body. About half-past two the 

 wings were of full size, but opaque, while the body had increased 

 in length but little, and it was still short when I was forced to 

 leave. The wings were then adpressed to one another, as in the 

 resting position of the Agrionidae. In the evening they were 

 spread out flat, as is usual with the Anisopterid dragonflies ; 

 the body was of full length, and the colours were well on their 

 way. On the following evening the wings were still glossy, but 

 otherwise the insect had practically assumed its mature colouring. 

 Though the body sways from back to front, and gives occasional 

 twitches while growth is taking place, I have never seen the 

 expanding dragonfly walk forward up its support, as described by 

 some authors, to assist in the process of expansion, which, how- 

 ever, is always a most interesting proceeding, and cannot but call 

 to mind Tennyson's beautiful lines from the " Two Voices" : — 



" To-day I saw the dragonfly 

 Come from the wells where he did lie. 



An inner impulse rent the veil 

 Of his old husk ; from head to tail 

 Came out clear plates of sapphire mail. 



He dried his wings ; like gauze they grew ; 

 Thro' crofts and pastures wet with dew 

 A living flash of light he flew." 



SOME NEW GENEEA AND SPECIES OF PHYTOPHAGOUS 



COLEOPTERA FROM INDIA AND CEYLON. 



By Mabtin Jacoby. 



Lema gahani, sp. no v. 

 Dark metallic blue ; the antennae, tibiae, and tarsi black ; thorax 

 very minutely punctured on the disc ; elytra scarcely depressed below 

 the base, the anterior portion distinctly punctate-striate, the posterior 

 half simply striate, the interstices convex near the apex. Length, 

 6 mill. 



