ODONATA IN 1900. 69 



head and thorax. They were taken by Mr. F. M. B. Carr and 

 myself in the New Forest early in the season ; perhaps later on 

 the yellow might have changed to crimson ; in fact, in one 

 specimen at least it seemed to he doing so, especially towards 

 the apex of the abdomen. De Selys, however ('Revue,' p. 179), 

 in speaking of the same variety, describes the not-black parts as 

 yellow. 



Early last year Mr. S. A. Blenkarn brought for my inspection 

 several dragonflies which he had taken during the previous 

 season. Amongst them were two or three specimens of the long- 

 lost Ischnura pumilio. Strange to say, in the beginning of June 

 last year, Messrs. Carr and myself found the species in a very 

 restricted locality in the New Forest, and between us, after dili- 

 gent search on three or four days, secured eleven specimens, 

 two only being females and both belonging to var. aiirantiaca. 

 It is still more strange that Mr. Blenkarn, while collecting in 

 Abbot's Wood in July last, should capture two more examples of 

 the same species, Mr. Blenkarn gave me two of his specimens, 

 and some of the remainder are in the cabinet of Mr. G. T. Porritt. 

 The most striking point of distinction between males of /. pumilio 

 and its congener Ischnura elegans lies in the position of the blue 

 spot near the apex of the abdomen. This will be seen better 

 from PI. I. figs, 1, 2, than from a lengthened description. It 

 should be recollected that in the female of /. elegans the blue 

 spot is present, from that sex of /. pundlio it is absent. I 

 visited the locality in the New Forest again at the end of July, 

 but pumilio was over. 



Perhaps more satisfactory than the capture of 7. ptumilio is 

 the discovery in Scotland of a species new to the British list. 

 Amongst some dragonflies captured in Strathglass by Colonel 

 Yerbury was a single male of Agrion hastidatum. In the usual 

 way the male of this species is easily distinguished from Enallagma 

 cyathigerum, which in general appearance it closely resembles, by 

 the spots on the dorsal surface of the second segment (see PI. II. 

 figs. 3 and 6). The two lateral spots are, however, sometimes 

 absent, as is the case in the Scotch example, and the remaining 

 spot resembles the corresponding spot on some forms of E. 

 cyathigerum. However, on consideration of other less conspicuous 

 points of difference, the Scotch insect has been found to be a 

 true Agrion hastidatum, and we hope soon to find the number of 

 captures increased, when amongst them will no doubt be found 

 examples of the typical form. 



It should be stated that many new localities for the common 

 species have been found during the year ; but the list is too 

 lengthy for insertion here. 



