C S3 3 

 PLATE XXIV, 



LIBELLULA DEPRESS A. 

 Dragon Fly. 



n e u r o p t e r a. 



Wings four, naked, tranfparent, reticulated with veins or nerves , 

 Tail without a fting. 



GENERIC CHARJCTER. 



Mouth with two long lateral jaws. Antennae very fhort. Tail o£ 

 the male forked. Wings extended. 



SPECIFIC CHARJCTER. 



Eyes brown. Thorax greenifh, with two yellow tranfverfe bands, 

 A large black fpot at the bafe of each Wing, and a fmall dark mark 

 on their exterior margin. Body deprefled, lance-fhaped. 



All the fpecies of Libellula, but particularly the larger kinds, are 

 confidered by many rather as objedls of terror, than fubjefts worthy in- 

 fpe<3:ion ; and the vulgar denomination of Horje-Jilnger^ contributes to 

 this abhorrence : although it hath no power over animals of fuch mag- 

 nitude, it is perfectly a Vulture among lepidopterous, or other defencelefs 

 Infeds, deftroying more for its fport than for its voracious appetite. 



The Fly is on the wing in May, and June, in almoft every marfhy 

 fituation ; the female lays her eggs near the roots of Ofiers on the 

 banks of ditches, or fmks them into the ftalks of Rufhes in the water ; 

 they hatch, and an ugly apterous infect, of a brown colour, comes 



forth} 



