39 



The head is evenly narrowed behind the eyes to the sharply 

 angular hind angles.* The labium is abruptly widened in its 

 apical third ; its median lobe is without teeth, but with the 

 usual fringe of hairs and closed median cleft. The lateral 

 labial labe is slender beyond the base of the hook, and is grad- 

 ually narrowed to a slightly incurved point, with indistinct 

 denticulation along its inner margin. 



The abdomen bears distinct lateral spines on segments 5 to 

 9, those of 6 to 9 hardly increasing in size posteriorly, those of 

 5 somewhat smaller. The abdominal appendages are a little 

 declined at their sharp and slender apices ; the superior is less 

 than two thirds the length of the inferiors, deeply notched at 

 the tip ; the laterals are about half as long as the superior. 



V. tEschna Fabr. 



The nymphs of this genus resemble those of Anax, but 

 have four or five pairs of lateral spines instead of three. Their 

 habits are similar to those of Ana.r, but they appear to be more 

 retiring and inactive, being often found clinging to submerged 

 roots and twigs. A single example was found in the Illinois 

 River at Havana upon a submerged branch. It was clearly an 

 jEschna nymph, but escaped before it could be further studied. 

 Dr. R. H. Wolcott had under observation a nymph of this genus 

 in Michigan. It liked to cling to the under side of floating ob- 

 jects. It was once seen eating an Agrion nymph, but was usu- 

 ally fed on flies, of which it ate two to four a day, coming to the 

 surface for them each morning, and refusing food in the after- 

 noon even when, as an experiment, the morning meal was 

 purposely omitted. 



The imagos are of large size, and are dark brown and blue, 

 instead of green as in A mix, their wings clear, with black veins. 

 Like Epiceschna heros they seem to have a fondness for the 

 vicinity of dwellings. 



*In the younger of Mr. Needham's Texas specimens these angles bear distinct 

 tubercles. 



