324 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [December, 



Illinois species of the families . . . herein treated, we have here described 

 the nymphs of twenty-four (six of them for the first time), representing 

 all our eleven genera. To these have been added by Prof. Needham de- 

 scriptions of ten nymphs of extra-limital species." Very little space is 

 given to descriptions of imagos, and this is unnecessary in view of the ex- 

 istence of the descriptive catalogues of Kellicott and of Williamson for Ohio 

 and Indiana respectively. The single plate accompanying the paper 

 figures the nymphs of Nasiaeschna pentacantha, Boyeria vinosa, Progotn- 

 phus obscurus, Diastatomnia * carolus and Anax Junius. As contents 

 worthy of special note may be mentioned : the adoption of family names 

 (ending in idee) for those groups which de Selys termed subfamilies, ex- 

 cepting the Corduliinae ; the Petaluridae are held to be probably the oldest 

 Anisoptera and the nymph of Tachopteryx, first described by Mr. Wil- 

 liamson "is remarkably synthetic in its characters and supplies a hitherto 

 missing link in the evolution of the labium ; " the Libellulidae " may be 

 grouped in three subfamilies," Synthemiinse, represented by Macromia 

 and Didymops, but apparently not defined, CorduHinse and Libellulinae. 

 The relations of various kinds of nymphs to the character of the waters 

 and water-bottoms, in which they dwell, are expressed by classifying them 

 into : I. Those inhabiting submerged vegetation (the Zygoptera, .^sch- 

 nidae, Hagenius, Mesotheinis, Celiihemis, Tratnea) ; 2. Those which 

 sprawl upon the bottom or climb over fallen rubbish (heavier-bodied 

 Libellulidae) ; 3. Those living in the mud or sand of the bottom (most 

 Gomphidae, Cordulegasteridas, Libellula and its relatives). Many other 

 details of nymphal life are recorded throughout the work. 



It will be seen, therefore, that this valuable contribution deals chiefly 

 with the nymphs. It is to be added that it is of great importance, not 

 merely to those interested in the fauna of Illinois and of eastern North 

 America, but also to everyone seeking to understand the relationships 

 of the Odonate groups to each other.— P. P. C. 



The perusal of Messrs. Needham and Hart's paper has suggested the 

 preparation of the following abstract from a work published some months 

 ago, but perhaps not yet known to many American readers. 



Dr. F. Karsch, in his report on the Odonata of the expedition of Dr. 

 Willy Kiikenthal to the Moluccas and Borneo (Abhandlungen, .Sencken- 

 bergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, xxv, pp. 211-230, Frankfurt a. 

 M., 1900) recognizes the families Calopterygidae, Caenagrionidae, yEsch- 

 nidae, Gomphidae, Cordulegasteridae, Corduliidae and Libellulidae. The 

 Libellulidae are divided into four subfamilies : A. Zyxomminae, having 

 the eye-suture long, recalling that of the .^Eschnidae, and the apices of the 

 triangles on front and hind wings reaching equally far outward {Zyxomma, 

 Tkolymis). B. Pantalinae with the triangles reaching unequally far out- 



* Following Kirby's Catalogue, this generic name is used for Ophio- 

 gomphus. 



