9 
= 
schaft, Wien,” between 1862 and 1868, and the “ Zoological 
Record” from 1868 to 1897. A few species were gleaned from 
Burmeister’s “ Handbuch,” 1838, and one from the British 
Museum Catalogue. The dates attached refer to the earliest 
notice observed in the works above cited. 
The arrangement of the genera follows mainly that of Brauer’s 
“‘ Verzeichniss” (Abh. Bot. u. Zool. Ges, 1868). 
Respecting the numerical extent of the Libellulide, it may be 
remarked that in 1871 Selys recorded (as known) some 1,357 
species, but may have been considerably added to since. The 
Australian species, of which 139 in 65 genera are listed below, 
appear to be those least known; and it is hoped that this 
paper may lead to a better study of the family ere rendered im- 
practicable through more or less total extinction, with which all 
endemic life in Australia is threatened, either directly or in- 
directly. 
The Dragon-flies attract the attention of many persons, partly 
on account of the large size of some, the brilliant colours of some 
of the smaller, and the ceaseless graceful flight of most, and 
partly through the groundless fear of injury, which produced the 
vernacular name of ‘“ Horse-stingers” for them; yet they are 
rarely taken by collectors. They deserve, however, serious study 
on account of the important réle they act in Nature as tireless 
consumers of flies, mosquitoes, and other large and small insects 
wherever water more or less abounds. 
The larve and nymphs are wholly aquatic, living in fresh to 
brackish stagnant pools, ponds, or morasses. Whenever practic- 
able to connect them with the mature form they should be 
collected also, at least the cast skin of the nymph, which the 
imago leaves attached to some object on emerging. They are 
very much stouter in body than the latter, move about in the 
water by walking on the bottom, climbing plants, &., and con 
tribute largely to the reduction of other and more noxious 
insect life. 
During 1898 specimens of the South Australian Libellulide 
were sent by permission of the Board of Governors to Mons. 
René Martin (Le Blanc, Indre, France), a noted specialist, who 
kindly identified them, and furnished the notes which are indi- 
cated under each species-name by inclusion within inverted 
commas (“ ”). These I have supplemented by remarks, &c., 
and the localities whence the specimens in the Museum collection 
were obtained. The species hitherto recognised in South Aus- 
tralia, and of which specimens are in the Museum collection, are 
denoted by an asterisk. 
