/o 





Family II. LlBELLULJ] 



of some auth 

 nigon-j!;: 



The Dragon-flie- aiv very common insects in the vicinity of 



. ponds, and lakes. Many f them are of lar ; and. as 



they fly luring the day-time, they are well known. They 



hav "aently received a number of popular names. The most 



common of these used in this country aiv i Urning- 



lles, and Snake-doc: 



The form of members of the Libellulid;e is very characteristic 

 ;. 67). The most striking features are the long, spindle-shaped 



body, and the long, nar- 

 row, powerful win: 

 which the second pair 

 are as large as or \ 

 than the first pair. 



The head of a dragon- 

 fly is large, broad, often 

 semi-globose, and con- 

 cave behind. A con- 

 siderable part of its sur- 

 face is occupied by the 

 enormously developed 

 compound eyes. The 

 antennae are sli< 

 they consist of from five to eight segments; of these the two basal 

 thick, the others form a bristle-like organ. The mouth- 

 11 developed. The labrum is prominent; the mandibles 

 maxilhe are both strongly toothed ; and the labium consists of 

 thn . .hich with the labrum near!;. e the jaws 



when at rest. The thorax is large. The win;. rule, >f 



nearly similar si/.e and structure; th- vhly netted with veins; 



and the front border of each is divided into basal and apical parts 

 by what is termed the nodus i//. Fig. 71). The veins and cells 

 much used in classification; the terms applied to them are given in 

 filiation of Fig. 71. The abdomen is long, slender, and 

 more or arly cylindrical; the caudal end is furnished with 



* I.ibellOlidce, Libcllula: libdla, a water-level, on account of th f the wings 



during flight. 



ionita: od .<A\\. 



FIG. frj.Plathemis trimaculata. (From Sanborn.) 



