152 REMARKS ON THE 



mistaken for that insect. They take wide circuits over the 

 grass, or skim, sparrow-hawk like, along the hedges. On a 

 more attentive examination, we find that they closely resemble 

 in form L. 4^-maculata, but are a far prettier insect, owing to 

 the predominance of a sub-orange hue over their body and a 

 large portion of their wings, the apex of which is mostly 

 marked with a fuscescent patch, as is also the middle of the 

 costa of the anterior wings ; but these marks are not constant. 

 A few days later there comes forth a host of L. 4>-maculata 

 over every pond and gravel-pit in this part. These never, 

 or at least very rarely, leave their native ponds, but hover over 

 them like a Kestril, from morn till dewy eve, when they go to 

 sleep somewhere or other, but where I know not, as I never 

 could find them so much as dozing. From their dull colour, 

 and being clothed with a long pallid pubescence, they appear 

 as they fly almost grey, whereas L. prcenubila, the pubescence 

 of which is shorter and more fulvous, appears as I have said 

 before, just like a L. depressa $ . The females, which are 

 very rare, are a little yellower than the males. The wings of 

 these never have the fuscescent marks. 



No stress can be laid on the disparity of sexes, because 

 sometimes, if not always, the female of Cordulia cenea is 

 extremely rai*e, equally so with that of L. 4^-maculata. Last 

 year I took above fifty CorduliiB, without finding one female ; 

 neither could I detect one amongst the hundreds which 

 swarmed over these pits. 



The woods of which I was speaking prior to this digression, 

 extend in length about three miles ; their breadth varies very 

 much, being broken in upon by pieces of cultivated ground, 

 which almost break them into distinct patches of wood. They 

 are crossed in various directions by foot-paths and broad rides 

 cut in direct lines through them. Eight of these meeting at a 

 fir-tree, on the top of a small hill, have given it the title of the 

 centre tree. On either side of these woods are other small 

 ones, the property of Sir J. Smyth and Mr. Marsh. These 

 woods are chiefly oak, with some birches and aspens, beneath 

 which is dense and almost impenetrable underwood, of oak, 

 hornbeam, hazel, birch, aspen, and Rhamnus frangida, the 

 whole intermixed with sallows, brambles, and honey-suckles. 

 Beneath, in the spring, the ground is covered with primroses, 

 wood-anemones, and the wild hyacinth, and the air is perfumed 



