1897] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 251 



many of the larger species transform very early in the 

 morning, and to take such advantage of them one must 

 be on the ground between daybreak and sunrise. 



Several imagoes should be kept alive until they have 

 assumed their mature colors. It is most important 

 that each imago and its cast skin should be kept together. 



Eggs, also, are easily obtained. Every collector has 

 seen the female of some species, dipping the tip of her 

 abdomed into the surface of the water, depositing eggs. 

 If the ovipositing female be captured, held by the fore 

 wings, leaving the hind wings free, and "dipped" by hand 

 to the surface of clean water in a vial or a tumbler, an 

 abundance of eggs will usually be liberated. Eggs of 

 those species which possess an ovipositor and which 

 place them within the tissues of plants may be obtained 

 by collecting the stems in which they have been inserted. 



Eggs and nymphs should be dropped in boiling water 

 for a minute and then preserved in alcohol. Imagoes, if 

 mounted, should have a wire or bristle inserted into the 

 body its entire length to prevent otherwise certain 

 breakage, or if placed unmounted in envelopes, these 

 should be of soft paper, loosely packed, so that the eyes 

 will not be crushed. 



Try to cover for each species the points of the follow- 

 ing outline regarding the imago : 



(1) Name ; locality ; date ; occurrence ; etc. 



(2) Haunts ; places frequented ; places avoided ; 

 the reasons, if discoverable. 



(3) Flight : its hours ; its duration; its directness ; 

 average altitude; places of rest ; altitudes. 



(4) Food: its kind ; how obtained; where eaten. 



(5) Enemies : what they are ; and how do they 

 destroy dragontlies ? 



(6) Oviposition : does the female oviposit alone or 

 attended by the male. 



