DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES IN PONDFISH CULTURE. 237 
at the bank (Illinois River) deposited for me in a watch glass of water in a few min- 
utes’ time about 5,200 eggs. This number is an estimate from a partial count” (p.75). 
The present author stood in one spot on the bank of pond 4D and captured within 
half an hour six L. luctwosa females as they came to the pond to oviposit and from them 
fully 4,000 eggs were obtained. 
For stocking purposes the eggs of the different species do not need to be kept 
separate. On another afternoon females of L. /uctuosa, Erythemis, and Leucorrhinia 
were allowed to deposit their eggs in the same tumbler and all hatched out together 
without apparent trouble. 
Armed then with an insect net and a convenient receptacle, thousands of eggs can be 
easily obtained in a short time at any place where the dragonflies are ovipositing and 
only the eggs of desirable species need be taken. These eggs can then be carried to 
the pond and placed loosely upon the bottom or on the floating alge, care being taken 
that they do not get buried in silt or mud, but remain on the surface; or they can be 
kept in the original receptacle until they hatch, and then the nymphs can be turned 
loose in the pond, not all in one place, but well distributed. The number of nymphs 
obtained in this way need only be limited by the patience of the collector. 
If the eggs are allowed to hatch before being placed in the fishpond, care should be 
taken that they do not require a long transportation. Mrs. Aaron gave this warning: 
“The question of transporting the young larve from the breeding tanks to the mosquito- 
infested ponds is to be considered. Although they are tough and can stand jolting, 
only a few can be carried in one receptacle. Twenty put in one jar would be found 
to be an inextricable, kicking mass of cannibals after a mile’s transportation”’ (Lam- 
born, 1890, p. 63). While perhaps transportation for a mile would produce this 
result, no difficulty has been experienced in carrying thousands of newly hatched 
nymphs from the laboratory to the fishponds, a distance of 500 yards. 
Anax, A‘schna, and the damselflies insert their eggs by means of an ovipositor into 
living or dead vegetable tissue either beneath the water or resting upon its surface. 
The females of these species can be watched while ovipositing and after they have 
finished the leaves or stems containing the eggs can be removed and transferred to the 
fishpond or they may be kept in water until they hatch. These females will not deposit 
eggs in a tumbler or basin, like those previously mentioned, but just as many can be 
secured by gathering the vegetation containing them. 
Sufficient experience might enable one to distinguish between the eggs of different 
species, but ordinarily the vegetation must be transferred to the fishpond with all the 
eggs it may happen to contain. It is surprising, however, to find how often it proves 
that practically all the eggs in a single leaf or stem are those of one species. 
Females of Enallagma hageni were observed inserting their eggs in the tissue of 
crex-grass leaves that had fallen into the water. Five of these leaves that contained 
fully 1,500 eggs were obtained, and these were cut into short lengths and kept in tum- 
blers of water until the eggs hatched. Similarly, Argia mesta putrida was observed 
descending a small water-soaked branch of willow near one of the wing dams in the 
Mississippi River in order to deposit its eggs, the female dragging the male down with 
her during the process. On pulling the branch out of the water a dozen couples of 
this damselfly flew off from it at varying depths, and the softened wood was found 
to be literally filled with eggs for a distance of 2 feet. A partial count and an estimate 
110307°—21——16 
