Mr. W. F. Kirby on Odonata from Sierra Leone. 77 



but successively shorter. Costal nervure black, with a 

 barely perceptible trace of an intersecting yellow line at the 

 base. 



In the most adult males, which I was at first inclined to 

 regard as a distinct species, the body is almost entirely 

 pruinose blue, through which a row of long tawny spots may 

 sometimes be seen extending as far as the eighth segment of 

 the abdomen. There is usually a black mark in the middle 

 of the labrum. The appendages of the second segment are 

 apparently better defined, and the upper anal appendages are 

 black, though the lower appendage generally remains tawny. 

 The abdomen is apparently less inflated at the base, less 

 constricted behind the third segment, and somewhat more 

 slender. Yet I find it impossible to venture to separate these 

 specimens specifically. 



The species is described from four specimens from Sierra 

 Leone, two of which were collected by Mr. Austen on Aug. 26 

 and Sept. 11 (1899). 



Of the adult form nine males were collected by Mr. Austen 

 between Aug. 26 and Sept. 15. There are also specimens of 

 both forms in the Museum from Accra and Lagos. 



This is a species of great interest. The semiadult form, 

 which I have taken as typical, closely resembles 0. Sabina, 

 Drury, except in the shorter and broader abdomen. In fact, 

 0. Julia stands in almost the same relation to 0. Sabina in 

 the Old World as that occupied by Mesothemis attala, De Selys, 

 to M. verbenata, Hagen, in the New. I have not seen the 

 true 0. Sabina from Africa, though De Selys indicates a var. 

 africana from the Camaroons (Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg. xxxi. 

 p. 22, 1887). The insect is also very near 0. trinacria, 

 De Selys, and is, I imagine, regarded by some authors as 

 this species, or as 0. brachiale, Beauv. But I have not been 

 able to determine 0. brachiale and 0. africanum, Beauv., 

 satisfactorily. According to Prof. Calvert, who has examined 

 the types, the former should have the base of the wings 

 entirely unclouded, and A. annulatum is described as having 

 the thorax uniform brown. As regards 0. trinacria, it is a 

 long-bodied insect much resembling 0. Sabina. 



Macromia Selysi, sp. n. 



Long. corp. 67 millim.; exp. al. 88 millim.; long. pter. 

 2tt millim. 



Male. — Head : frontal tubercle bifid and, as well as the 

 frontal lobes below, with strong green and violet reflections ; 

 face lighter or darker ferruginous brown, with orange mottlings. 



