240 Mr. W. F. Kirby on Drajonflies 



Female. — Red ; head with the front of the frontal triangle 

 and the ocellar cavity black ; two broad dashes and the 

 lower end of the clypeus in the middle black, above which, on 

 the inner orbits, is a black spot on each side, and just below 

 which, also on the inner orbits, is a short black streak on each 

 side. Occiput with two or three black spots on each side on 

 the hinder orbits. Prothorax with two large black spots on 

 the back and two more behind them on the front of the meso- 

 thorax ; thorax with numerous slender black lines and small 

 spots on the back and sides and at the base of the wings. 

 Abdomen with two large black spots at the base, and the 

 sutures and carinas all black ; from the first carina runs a 

 submacular black band, contracted behind each carina and 

 suture, but widening behind till it covers the greater part of 

 the contracted hinder segments of the abdomen. On the 

 back of segments 3 and 4 is a large black dash on the sides 

 behind the carina?, and on segment 5 is a corresponding black 

 line, not extending to the base or extremity of the segment ; 

 below these are longitudinal black carinas, and below these 

 again the middle of the under surface of the abdomen is 

 greenish yellow, and on the second segment a black curved 

 mark runs downwards from the extremity of the lateral 

 carina, forming with it and a smaller black spot a figure not 

 unlike the Hebrew letter D. Below the lateral carina of the 

 third segment is a long fusiform black spot, with a black 

 line obliquely below it. On the fourth segment the lateral 

 carina is pale, and there is a broad black line below it not 

 extending to the extremity of the segment ; on the following 

 segments the lateral carinas are pale at the base and broadly 

 black at the extremity, and without distinct black marks 

 below them. Abdominal appendages rather long and pointed, 

 yellow above, as are also the two short terminal segments of 

 the abdomen, and black below. Legs black below and more 

 or less red above. Wings clear hyaline, only slightly 

 clouded with yellow on the inner margin of the hind wings. 

 Fore wings with 8 antenodal cross-nervules, the last not 

 continuous, and with 6 or 7 postnodal cross-nervules. Ptero- 

 stigma very long, yellow, between black nervures. 



Differs from the other described species of the genus by the 

 extremely slender black markings of the thorax. The red 

 colour may possibly be due to discoloration (?), but the curious 

 markings on the sides of the abdomen should be enough to 

 fix the species. 



It is to be regretted that only one specimen of each sex 

 was obtained. There appear to be several African species of 

 Acisoma, but they are usually received only in small numbers 

 and in poor condition. 



