﻿Order 
  ODONATA. 
  

  

  The 
  Odonata 
  or 
  "dragon 
  flies" 
  are 
  predatory 
  in 
  all 
  stages, 
  and 
  none 
  of 
  

   them 
  are, 
  therefore, 
  injurious 
  to 
  the 
  agriculturist. 
  Some 
  of 
  them 
  are 
  

   more 
  or 
  less 
  beneficial 
  in 
  the 
  adult 
  stage 
  as 
  destroyers 
  of 
  injurious 
  or 
  

   annoying 
  species, 
  and 
  their 
  practice 
  of 
  taking 
  mosquitoes 
  has 
  given 
  them 
  

   the 
  name 
  "mosquito-hawks." 
  Their 
  habits 
  of 
  flying 
  by 
  day 
  only, 
  and 
  

   preferably 
  in 
  sunny 
  places, 
  limits 
  their 
  usefulness 
  against 
  the 
  nocturnal 
  

   pests 
  very 
  decidedly, 
  and 
  makes 
  them 
  practically 
  useless 
  in 
  any 
  attempt 
  

   to 
  control 
  mosquito 
  breeding. 
  Their 
  appearance 
  and 
  habits 
  have 
  always 
  

   aroused 
  interest, 
  and 
  often 
  dread, 
  as 
  the 
  common 
  names 
  "snake 
  doctor" 
  

   and 
  "devil's 
  darning 
  needle" 
  testify, 
  and 
  many 
  a 
  tale 
  of 
  their 
  dangerous 
  

   power 
  is 
  current. 
  As 
  a 
  matter 
  of 
  fact, 
  the 
  insects 
  are 
  entirely 
  harmless, 
  

   and 
  can 
  neither 
  sting 
  nor 
  bite, 
  the 
  mouth 
  being 
  so 
  peculiarly 
  constructed 
  

   that 
  the 
  insect 
  can 
  chew 
  only 
  what 
  can 
  be 
  gotten 
  into 
  the 
  buccal 
  cavity 
  

   itself. 
  

  

  The 
  eggs 
  are 
  laid 
  on 
  or 
  under 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  the 
  water, 
  and 
  the 
  larvae 
  

   are 
  as 
  voracious 
  and 
  formidable 
  in 
  appearance 
  as 
  the 
  adults. 
  The 
  lower 
  

   lip 
  is 
  hinged, 
  capable 
  of 
  being 
  extended 
  well 
  beyond 
  the 
  head, 
  and 
  almost 
  

   any 
  soft-bodied 
  water 
  insect 
  coming 
  within 
  reach 
  is 
  liable 
  to 
  be 
  captured 
  

   and 
  eaten. 
  Mosquito 
  wrigglers 
  furnish 
  a 
  large 
  percentage 
  of 
  the 
  food 
  

   of 
  some 
  species, 
  and 
  in 
  permanent 
  pools 
  such 
  larv83 
  cannot 
  maintain 
  them- 
  

   selves 
  in 
  any 
  number. 
  

  

  The 
  list 
  of 
  species 
  in 
  the 
  last 
  edition 
  was 
  prepared 
  by 
  Dr. 
  Philip 
  P. 
  

   Calvert, 
  of 
  the 
  University 
  of 
  Pennsylvania, 
  who 
  has 
  also 
  supplied 
  addi- 
  

   tional 
  notes 
  to 
  the 
  present 
  edition. 
  His 
  absence 
  from 
  the 
  country 
  during 
  

   the 
  time 
  the 
  list 
  was 
  prepared 
  for 
  the 
  printer, 
  and 
  while 
  it 
  was 
  passing 
  

   through 
  the 
  press 
  has 
  prevented 
  his 
  looking 
  it 
  over 
  in 
  final 
  form, 
  and 
  he 
  

   is 
  not 
  to 
  be 
  charged 
  with 
  errors 
  appearing 
  it 
  it, 
  but 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  credited 
  with 
  

   the 
  determination 
  of 
  the 
  material 
  and 
  the 
  general 
  arrangement 
  as 
  it 
  now 
  

   stands, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  all 
  records 
  not 
  otherwise 
  acknowledged. 
  

  

  The 
  list 
  of 
  species 
  and 
  varieties 
  has 
  been 
  increased 
  from 
  90 
  to 
  112, 
  and 
  

   there 
  probably 
  is 
  no 
  other 
  order 
  more 
  thoroughly 
  and 
  completely 
  known 
  

   in 
  New 
  Jersey. 
  The 
  labors 
  of 
  Messrs. 
  Daecke 
  and 
  Davis, 
  in 
  addition 
  to 
  

   those 
  of 
  Dr. 
  Calvert, 
  have 
  done 
  much 
  to 
  bring 
  the 
  list 
  to 
  its 
  present 
  state 
  

   of 
  completeness. 
  

  

  Family 
  AGRIONID.^. 
  

  

  Sub-family 
  CaloptERYGin.^. 
  

  

  CALOPTERYX 
  Leach. 
  

  

  C. 
  maculata 
  Beauv. 
  Throughout 
  the 
  State 
  except 
  in 
  the 
  Appalachian 
  V, 
  

   28-VIII, 
  9, 
  locally 
  not 
  rare. 
  

  

  (73) 
  

  

  