416 ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



Natural Order. — LibellulitEs, ined. 

 Genus. — Libellula. Linnceus. 



Libel, praenubila. Alee omnes hyal'ince, nebulis chiahus cos- 

 tarn attingentibus ; metalce prceterea prope has'in, lahe 

 magna, fusco-nigrd, ornatce. 



Head brown with two yellow spots behind the eyes ; body brown 

 with five or six yellow spots more or less distinct on the sides, the 

 hinder segments much broader and less pilose than in L. 4:-macu- 

 lata : to the stigma of the fore-wings is attached a rich brown 

 cloud which frequently extends across the wing to the opposite 

 margin ; near the centre of the costal margin is another cloud of 

 the same colour surrounding the spot which it possesses in com- 

 mon with L. A-maculata ; this cloud, however, does not extend 

 across the wing to the lower margin : from this central cloud to the 

 body the wing is beautifully stained with saffron colour : in these 

 particulars the hind-wings perfectly agree, but have besides a 

 large triangular dark brow-n blotch at their base as in Z. A-macu- 

 lafa : the legs are black and spiny. (Length 2 inch. ; breadth 

 3 inch.) 



Taken by my friends H. and E. Doubleday at Epping ; it 

 appears in abundance about a fortnight before L. 4<-7naculata, 

 from which it differs in habit, flying over fields and about 

 hedges, and never frequents water except for the purpose of 

 laying its eggs, whereas L. 4^-?)iaci{lata confines its flight to 

 the vicinity of ponds and waters. It has been considered as a 

 variety by Vanderlinden and other authors, but the want of 

 pilosity is a constant character ; and this, together with the dif- 

 ferent habit, and beautiful though varied markings of the wings, 

 I must consider entitles it to rank as a distinct species, more 

 particularly as the difference between it and L. 4-}naculata is 

 most decided in specimens which have recently been trans- 

 formed, and cannot therefore be the effect of age or detrition, 



(To be C07itinued.) 



