C']iAi'. in. DRAGONFLIES. 105 



wear the livery of different species of beetles ; these hold 

 their wings in repose, in a closed position over their 

 bodies, so that they look like the wing-cases of the 

 l)eetles they deceptively imitate. 



The Libelhilid^e, or Dragonflies, are almost equally 

 conspicuous with the butterflies in open, sunny places. 

 More than a hundred different kinds are found near 

 Para ; the numerous ditches and pools being, doubtless, 

 favourable to their increase, for the adolescent states of 

 the dragonfly are passed in an element different from that 

 in which the adult exists. The species are not all 

 confined to open, sunny places. Some are adapted to 

 live only in the darkest shades of the forest, and these 

 are, j^erhaps, the most beautiful, being brightly coloured 

 and more delicate in structure than the others. One 

 of them, the Chalcopteryx rutilans, is seen only near 

 the shady rivulets which cross the solitary Magoary 

 road. Its fore-wings are quite transparent, whilst the 

 hind-wings have a dark ground-colour, which glitters 

 with a violet and golden refulgence. All the kinds of 

 dragonflies wage an unceasing war with day-flying 

 winged insects, and I am inclined to think that they 

 commit as much destruction in this way as birds do. 

 I have often observed them chasing butterflies. They 

 are not always successful in capturing them, for some 

 of their intended victims, by a dodging manner of 

 flight, contrive to escape their clutches. When a 

 dragonfly seizes its prey, he retires to a tree, and there, 

 seated on a branch, devours the body at his leisure. The 

 different species consume gi'eat quantities of small flies, 

 especially during the brief twilight, when large flocks of 



