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ORIENTAL ENTOMOLOGY. 



By the Rev. F. A. Walker, D.D. 



(Concluded from p. 41). 



Neuroptera, understanding b)^ this term all species belong- 

 ing to the tribe, according to the Linnean application, are only 

 scantily represented as a rule, so far as my own observation 

 goes, in the regions of the East. For example, in my tour 

 of 1882, I only came across four species of dragonflies, and 

 three of these were common English ones, two of them, viz., 

 Lihellula depressa and Calepteryx virgo, skimming around the 

 luxuriant vegetation on the banks of the River Meles (a short 

 distance above the grotto of its nymph, and where she is reported, 

 according to popular tradition, to have nursed the poet Homer) 

 on May 8th. The same two species were also noticed at a later 

 date, namely May 25th, about the wooded and stream-fed lawns 

 adjoining the great bend or reservoir of Sultan Selim in the 

 vicinity of the village and forest of Belgrade ; while the third 

 and commonest kind was Sympetrum striolatum, likewise seen at 

 Belgrade, and so plentiful at home, more especially on heath or 

 common in the autumn. The fourth one, also occurring at 

 Belgrade, was Crocothemis erythrcea, of the same shape and size 

 as L. striolata, but clearly to be distinguished by its bright red 

 body from the tawny colour of the latter. During my second 

 expedition I have also only tbe occurrence of four species to 

 report in the months of November and December, 1883, as 

 follows : — Lihellula striolata, Ti'itliemis ruh7'inervis, and Croco- 

 themis erythrcBa, and all at Villa Ciccolani public gardens, Cairo, 

 Island of Roda, and Matareeyeh Gardens, Heliopolis. 



Trithemis rubrinervis is not so common as the two other 

 species, and, tliough nearly of the same size and form, has its 

 body, if anything, more tapering in shape, is a singularly hand- 

 some kind, crimson or magenta coloured, with a blue-purple 

 stripe down each side. I first saw it on the Island of Roda, and 

 afterwards in the gardens of the Villa Ciccolani, as good localities 

 as any I know of in Egypt for the capture of Neuroptera. The 

 fourth, I regret to say, I was unable to obtain, and am therefore 

 ignorant of its name. It usually flew very rapidly and high 

 overhead backwards and forwards, while I was forcing my way 



