The Odonata of the Forth Area. 93 



this blue-winged "Demoiselle" is in the vicinity of Aber- 

 foyle, where I saw a male in June 1896, but failed to secure 

 it before it flitted across the river. In June 1901 a few 

 specimens were obtained on the banks of a sluggish stream 

 in the same neighbourhood. [Again 30th June 1905.] 



Mr Morton has pointed out to me that my Scotch speci- 

 mens of C. virgo $ , belong to the northern form, which is 

 paler at the bases and tips of the wings than southern 

 examples. 



Lestes sponsa (Hansem.). 



I have a specimen of this small dragon-fly taken in 

 the early " seventies " in the Callander district, but unfor- 

 tunately I have no note of the exact locality, and I have 

 failed to find the species again during recent visits to Upper 

 Forth. It is widely distributed in the north and west of 

 Scotland (I have it from several localities), and it is common, 

 according to Mr King (Lucas's " British Dragon-flies "), no 

 farther away than Dalmally, so I have no doubt it is still 

 present in some of the many suitable spots towards the 

 western limits of "Forth." It appears about the beginning 

 of July (in 1893 I took two at Aviemore in June), and 

 continues on the wing till September. 



Z. sponsa, from " Scotland," was noted by De Selys in 

 Greville's collection in 1845, but no more definite locality 

 is given. 



Pyrrhosoma nymphula (Sulz.). 



Agrion minium, Selys (5), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1846, p. 226. 



This is the small red dragon-fly that one not unfrequently 

 sees about the margins of peat-pools, ponds, and ditches, and 

 on the adjoining moors and meadows. With a decided 

 preference for moorland districts, it is widely distributed 

 throughout the area, and is still locally common. De Selys 

 (loc. cit.) in 1845 noted it in Greville's collection from " Scot- 

 land" — likely enough from this district, for there can be 

 no doubt the insect was formerly more plentiful in the 

 vicinity of Edinburgh than it is now. I remember when 



