BIONOMICS, ETC. 



In this chapter I have collected together not only those facts 

 which are strictly classed as bionomical, but also others which, 

 as they fail to fit in anywhere else, may perhaps be permitted 

 to be included here. The result forms a heterogeneous mass of 

 facts which will, I trust, be found of considerable interest to the 

 student of Odonata. 



Habits and Flight. 



Although Dragonflies pass their early stages in fresh-water, 

 yet the imagines are by no means confined to the same neighbour- 

 hood. It may be said of the females of almost all groups that 

 they quickly remove themselves to cover, and seldom appear 

 flying upon the water except when pairing or ovipositing. A col- 

 lector who confines himself solely to catching the Dragonflies 

 which are to be seen upon the ponds and rivers will most certainly 

 return home with a very large majority of males. The only 

 exception to this rule is the Aeschninae, in which both sexes 

 hawk about with equal vigour. Owing to the superior speed 

 of the males, it is quite usual for more females to be captured. 

 He who would add good series of females of the other groups 

 to his collection must search carefully in out-of-the-way places, 

 clearings in the forest, paths through long grass, low bushes and 

 hedges, and even railway cuttings. 



Many groups have their home in the forest. This applies to 

 the great majority of the Gomphinae, some of which disappear 

 into the forest immediately after emergence, and are seldom or 

 never seen on the wing. The Calopterygidae which have iridescent 

 but uncoloured wings, in the Oriental regipn, live in the forest 



T. D.-F. 21 



