Odonata from Mesopotamia. 303 
As mentioned above, Brewitt-aylor’s Amara specimens 
are not fully mature, and his remarks point to an emergence 
of the species having recently taken place there. 
Trithemis annulata, Beauvais. 
23 ¢ 3, 18 2 ¥, 6-8. v., 13-19. v., 25-26. v., 2-9. vi. 
(Basra). 
The collector refers to the abdomen of the ¢ in different 
specimens as brownish red, crimson-red, yellowish purple, 
purple-red, and plum-coloured, and of the ? as yellowish, 
greenish yellow, and brownish red, these variations no doubt 
marking different stages of maturity. In some of the 
females the amber colouring of the wing-base is continued 
to the nodus in the anterior part of the hind wings, and the 
apex of the wings is sometimes tinted. 
“The insects sit on palm-leaves, the wings drooped down- 
wards and forwards, the abdomen being slightly raised, and 
they are very quick.”’ 
Pantala flavescens, Fabr. 
1,1 2, 14. viii. (Amara). 
; Selysiothemis nigra, Lind. 
29 66, 20 2 3, 7. v., 13-16, v., 25-27. v., 1-9. vi. 
(Basra). 
“This species occurred abundantly for about three or four 
days (May 14th to 17th). I think it was the same species 
which similarly suddenly appeared in large numbers on 
April 20th. It was more numerous then than the swarms 
on 14th-17th. The species does not frequent waterways, but 
is found in open spaces, settling on stunted grass. It occa- 
sionally comes to light. June 8th: Very abundant. There 
is great variation in the amount of black. Males generally 
darker, and all blue-black specimens are males. June 10th: 
The species has practically disappeared again ; has lasted 
from 4th to 10th.” (Brewitt-Taylor.) 
EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIV. 
Fig. 1. C. erythrea chaldeorum (Basra, Evans). As explained above, 
the tooth is present, but was thrown out of view by pressure. 
Fig. 2, The same (Basra, Brewitt-Taylor). Hamule only. To bring 
out the tooth clearly the hamule was tilted in the preparation, 
with the result that the base was thrown out of focus. 
Fig. 3. C. erythrea (Madagascar), Hamules only. The left-hand one 
in the preparation shows the tooth very clearly. 
Fig. 4. C. servilia (Bengal). 
(I am indebted to Mr, Martin E. Mosely for the excellent photographs 
of the preparations, and also for his expert assistance in remounting the 
hamule shown in fig. 2.) 
