GUANACASTE—PUNTARENAS TO LIBERIA 427 



I caught discharged eggs within a few minutes after capture. 

 I placed them in water at once but they were probably not 

 fertilized as they did not hatch, or turn yellow or brown 

 within a week, like fertilized eggs. Both sexes of the partici- 

 pating species existed in this flock. In Chapter XV in de- 

 scribing the finding of intermingled individuals of two species 

 of Palcsmnema on the banks of the Rio Guapiles, reference 

 was made to the view that the two most closely allied forms 

 in the same genus do not occur together. This flock of 

 dragonflies on the Rio Liberia supplies both positive and 

 negative evidence on this point. Pseudimitans and hemich- 

 lora are not the most nearly related species of Macrothemis, 

 but on the other hand Brechmorhoga vivax is considered by 

 those who have written on this genus to find its nearest rela- 

 tive in B. prcBCOx^ and these last two species have been found 

 together at the same places and times in Mexico and Guate- 

 mala as well as in Costa Rica. 



As the sun set and twilight came on I waited by the river 

 on the lookout for dragonflies which might be peculiar to 

 that time of day. I saw none but, suddenly, as the sun 

 disappeared, close to the water's surface came dancing black- 

 winged caddice-flies {Heteroplectron maculatum) like witches 

 of the advancing night. 



When I returned to the Commission I learned that the 

 Governor had invited us to his house at eight o'clock. We 

 went and met his wife and her two sisters, the younger of 

 whom, a very pretty girl, had studied at the Colegio de Senor- 

 itas at San Jose. In answer to my questions Professor 

 Tristan told me later that he thought her greater conversa- 

 tional powers, in contrast to those of her two sisters, were a 

 result of this training, her sisters not having had this advan- 

 tage. The dressing of the ladies and the furnishings of the 

 house were plain; during the evening a refreshing fruit ice 

 was served to us. 



