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liave not observed one elsewhere. Is the swamp its habitat ] It is a 

 })hiiu-looking insect; the markings of the body are dusky and inelegant; 

 the wings are wholly transparent, with twelve antecubitals and nine 

 postcubitals ; length, about 2 inches ; alar expanse, about 2^ inches, 



Gomjihus vastus, Walsh, is a larger species. Length of body, 2\ 

 inches ; alar expanse, 2| inches. The abdomen is very stout at the 

 base, very slender in the middle, and the last three segments are 

 enlarged into a sort of kaob, The wings have fourteen antecubitals 

 and thirteen postcubitals. I obtained a specimen of this species from 

 Mr. Fletcher, who informs me that myriads of the same kind were to be 

 seen a few years ago, flying about the Parliament buildings. I have 

 never to my knowledge seen one living. It is a very singular fact that 

 certain species of insects may abound in vast numbers one summer and 

 not appear again, or be very rare, in the same part of the country for 

 years afterwards. 



^^sehna. — The members of this genus are the most formidable 

 looking of our '• darning-needles." Their heads are unusually large, 

 eyes are connected from near the labrum or upper lip to the upper 

 part of the head and cover both sides down to the jaws or mandibles. 

 The lattev are exceptionally large and powerful, and the thorax is of 

 immense proportions. The first few segments, or base of the abdomen, 

 are small and pedunculate, while the rest of the member is long, slen- 

 der and the same size throughout ; the wings are broad and strong 

 and lack the beautiful paintings which embellish those of the libellulidse 

 and othei-s. The slenderness and length of the abdomen bear such a 

 striking contrast to the enormous size of the other parts that these 

 insects appear to be of the most anomalous structure. 



^Eschna heros, Fab. — Measures about 3^ inches in length and a 

 little more if the appendages are included. The wings expand about 

 4 inches, and have 21 to 25 anteculntals and 13 to 16 postcubitals. 

 If the dragon-flies have fallen into ill-repute — and I think they have 

 with some — their disgrace may well be attributed to this monster, and 

 his brothers ^E. vertlcalis, Hag. and ^E. vlnosa, Say, although neither 

 is so large, may be counted in and considered as accomplices in the 

 career of carnage and murder which has caused the degradation of the 

 race. So far I have spoken of tha beauty of the dragon-flies in terms 



