Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 13 



to alight on the twigs and branches after roaming about in search 

 of food. It is very active, a strong flier, and often mounts to a con- 

 siderable height in pursuit of its prey. 



Although the abdomen of the male is seen to be highly colored 

 with blue on close examination, both sexes appear dull brown when 

 flying about. 



3. PERITHEMIS DOMITIA (Drury) 



One of the smallest species, frequenting the lily-pads and pick- 

 erel-weed, flying close to the water, and habitually keeping below 

 the larger and stronger species as noted by Needham. 



The males congregate on the lily-pads some little distance from 

 the shore and are difficult to catch because they are very wary. 

 They can dodge a net with facility, and especially because they 

 fly so close to the water that it is very hard to manipulate the net. 



The females are found closer to the shore and are not nearly so 

 numerous as the males. Their flight here in Indiana is anything 

 but "rather weak and a bit clumsy" as Needham records for New 

 York State. The author spent two hours one afternoon in early 

 September along the edge of the pickerel-weed at Twin Lakes en- 

 deavoring to catch some of these females which could be seen occa- 

 sionally flying about, and finally had to come away without secur- 

 ing a single specimen. The females seen were always unattended 

 by a male and deposited their eggs close to the shore amongst the 

 Chara and Spirogyra. One specimen that had been swept into the 

 water by the net was seized and eaten by a fish, apparently a War- 

 mouth Bass. 



The adults of both sexes were obtained at Lake Maxinkuckee, 

 Lost Lake, Bass Lake and Twin Lakes. They were especially com- 

 mon at Lost Lake around the Outlet where several nymphs were 

 also obtained August 15, just ready to come forth as imagos. 



4. CELITHEMIS EPONINA (Drury) 



One of the skimmers and the largest of the genus in the State, 

 both sexes rust-colored throughout, with large brown spots on the 

 wings, the male more brightly colored than the female. 



This species and Libellula luctuosa were the two most common 

 dragon-flies at all the lakes visited. They appeared before our 

 arrival and were still roaming about at the middle of September. 

 The female of this species is nearly always held by the male when 

 depositing her eggs, and the two are seen flying about together 

 more frequently than any other species. Since the eggs are de- 

 posited in the clean water, often a long distance from any vegeta- 



