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THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



THE DEAGONFLIES OF EPPING FOREST IN 1904. 



By F. W. & H. Campion. 



Our work during 1904, although prosecuted with unabated 

 vigour, has added no fresh species to our list, but it has yielded 

 several interesting variations from the typical forms. The species 

 taken by us, mentioned in the order in which we made the first 

 captures, are as follows : — 



(1) Pyrrliosoma nymjjhida. — Our work began on May 1st with 

 the taking of P. nymphula, immature. This species emerged 

 earlier and remained on the wing longer than in any previous 

 year within our experience, for we continued to take single 

 specimens as late as August 1st. On June 5th we obtained a 

 male which was resting on a bush, and which was in the act of 

 preying upon a tiny moth ; we subsequently identified the moth, 

 so far as its damaged condition left it determinable, as Laspey- 

 resia {GrajjJiolita) ulicetana. 



(2) Agrion puella. — We took this species abundantly between 

 May 15th and August 7th. A female taken on July 10th ex- 

 hibited on each of segments three, four, five, and six a pair of 

 conspicuous light-green markings at the basal end in the middle 

 line. On the same date we obtained a male with a round black 

 spot within the curve of the u on the second segment. 



(3) Ischnura elegans. — The range of date of our captures of 

 individuals of the typical form was from June 5th to August 7th. 

 Between July 3rd and September 4th we took four specimens 

 of the dark form of the female, of which a detailed account has 

 already appeared {ante, pp. 252-254). 



(4) Enallagma cyathigerum was taken constantly from July 

 10th to September 4th. On the first-named date we procured 

 two specimens of the blue form of the female, and another speci- 

 men was taken on July 17th. The variation from the normal 

 female consists in the fact that on both thorax and abdomen the 

 ground colour, instead of being yellow or greyish-green, is blue 

 — blue as pronounced as that seen in the male. The markings on 

 the abdomen are black, not bronze. All our specimens were pro- 

 cured at some ponds near Loughton, and one of them at least was 

 taken connected per collum with a male. The blue colour fades 

 away very rapidly, but we have preserved the colour of the latest 

 specimen to a considerable extent by treatment with methylated 

 spirit, in the manner recommended by Mr. S. W. Kemp (see 

 Entom. xxxvi. 34-35). On July 31st we obtained two interesting 

 mature males, one with the stem of the goblet-shaped marking 

 on segment two attenuated to a mere thread, and the other with 

 segments one and two chocolate brown, and with some chocolate 

 on thorax and between segments three and four. 



