Predaceous Insects and their Prey 401 
In addition to the above records W. L. Distant quotes 
the observation, made at Candahar, that Cicadas formed 
the prey of Dragonflies.* 
Looking at the above list the most striking fact is the 
great variety of the prey and the marked inclusion of 
specially protected forms. The latter are as follows :— 
Limnas chrysippus, two common wasps (2 species) and three 
beetles belonging to distasteful groups, a Malacoderm, a 
Coccinellid, and a Galerucid. ‘Thus specially protected 
species make up more than one-third of the 16 recorded 
captures, and include the whole of the Coleopterous 
victims. It is also of much interest to observe that a 
single species of Dragonfly, Cordulegaster annulatus, was 
responsible for both the wasps (Nos. 312, 315), and the 
Malacoderm (No. 314). The remaining victim of this 
species was a Tabanid fly (No. 313.) 
As regards the ten species of prey which do not appear 
to belong to specially protected groups, we find 3 Diptera 
-(1 Syrphid, 1 Tabanid, and 1 Muscid), 3 Lepidoptera 
(1 ? Lycenid, 1 Hesperid, and 1 Crambid), 4 Neuroptera 
(1 Ephemerid, 2 Odonata, and a Termite). Of the latter 
three specimens are only counted as one, inasmuch as 
the actual attack on these three victims was not witnessed 
and the number of individual foes is therefore unknown. 
Many Dragonflies, flying high, were seen attacking large 
numbers of Termites. It was of course impossible to 
determine whether these particular Termites had been 
seized by one, two, or three of their enemies. 
The inclusion of 2 Dragonflies (Nos. 311, 316) among 
the prey shows that the attacks of Odonates, as in the 
case of so many other predaceous insects, do not altogether 
tend to the destruction of insect life; for here the preda- 
ceous forms themselves are the victims. The same con- 
siderations are suggested by the two species of Vespa . 
devoured by Cordulegaster annulatus, 
Short as it is, the list is extremely interesting, and 
raises the expectation that Dragonflies will be found to 
prey rather largely upon specially defended groups of 
insects. 
* “Insecta Transvaaliensia,” vii, 1906, pp. 169, 170. 
