34 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



will be pleased to hear that the capture of four more specimens of 

 L.fidva may be added to the very short British list — three females 

 and one male — all taken in 1900 and 1901 between Bournemouth 

 and the New Forest. The captures were made by Major Pvobert- 

 son, who works so assiduously the insects of Dorset and Hants. 

 The male had not obtained its blue colouring, one of the females 

 was very immature, and one at least had the black tip to the wings. 



Orthetrum ccerulescens was seen in the New Forest, sparingly 

 and in teneral condition, between May 27th and 28th ; it was 

 very common there as usual in August. 0. cancellatiim was found 

 on July 7th at Frensham Great Pond, in Surrey, by Messrs. E. B. 

 Bishop and W. J. Ashdown. 



Perhaps the most important feature of the season was the 

 taking of Oxygastra curtisii by Major Eobertson in the old 

 locality near Christchurch, in Hampshire. But one capture was 

 made, and in fact, though several visits were made to the locality, 

 only a few specimens in all were seen. On one occasion the net 

 was successfully placed over a female, but she managed to escape. 

 The single specimen taken was given to me, and is a male in 

 perfect condition. The last previous capture of the species was 

 in 1882, when four males were taken. Two visits paid by myself 

 to the locality, on July 31st and on August 7th, failed to reveal 

 its presence, and we must conclude that the insect is over by 

 that date. The spot where 0. curtisii occurs is not its breeding 

 ground clearly, and the question arises, where is the nymph- 

 stage passed ? A drainage-pond near at hand, which apparently 

 disappears in dry weather, cannot be the place, and a little 

 stream, which at times is found connected with the pond, seems 

 equally out of the question. The probability is that the species 

 breeds in the Stour, a clear, swift stream, often deep, running 

 over pebbles and gravel, about a quarter of a mile away. By the 

 kindness of a French naturalist, M. Bene Martin, of Le Blanc 

 (Indre), I am able to give a description and figure (PL 1) of the 

 nymph of 0. curtisii, made from empty cases which he sent to 

 me, and which were obtained from river-banks in the centre of 

 France. The skins received were not in very good condition, 

 and the species in the nymph-stage being hairy and rugose, the 

 skins were covered with earthy matter which was not easily 

 removed. It is likely, also, that many hairs and bristles were 

 broken off. When living specimens come to hand, it may be 

 found necessary to modify the description a little, especially with 

 regard to the thorax, and possible also the figure may need a little 

 amending where the skin was ruptured by the emergence of the 

 imago. Description : Length, from front of face to end of appen- 

 dages, 21*5 mm. ; greatest width of abdomen, about 9 mm. Colour, 

 a more or less uniform dark brown. Head, transversely 6 mm., 

 somewhat less longitudinally; pentangular; surface chiefly rugose, 

 except a few smooth patches, notably three on occiput ; a ridge 



