TT IBuE By 
Frep Ewnock, 
LURE SIRO 
F.L.S., F.E.S 
OF THE 
Another remarkable article on 
one of Nature’s marvellous 
ID ACON 
RLY. 
transformation scenes,  illus- 
trated with a series of 
photographs taken by the 
author. 
Vig. 1. 
HE Dragon Flies of Great Britain are not so numerous as to be bewildering; at 
present, only forty species complete the list and of these many are exceedingly 
conunon. ‘There is scarcely a pond or ornamental water in the London Parks where 
some are not seen. From the top of a *bus I saw one of the largest species circling 
around the smoke-begrimed walls of the Bank of Hngland! Those who delight in 
the study of the “Devil’s Darning Needles!” (a wise man, he who first gave dragon 
flies this most expressive name) know where to find some of the best; so let us, in 
imagination, take as many of our readers as possible to the Black Pond on WHsher 
Common. I would strongly advise my naturalist companions before they begin 
dredging for nymphs to provide themselves with a good pair of india rubber boots 
reaching to the knees; they are comfortable to walk im either along a dusty road or 
into a shallow pond without the risk of getting the feet wet. 
Armed with a stout iron ring net made of “cheese cloth,’ tin boxes of various 
size and shape, especially a shallow one (which can first be filled with sandwiches), 
and you are ready for your onslaught upon the nymphs in the pond. Cautiously 
stepping into the pond, we suddenly thrust our net underneath a quantity of American 
pond weed, lift up as much as we can and 
land it upon the level path; three or four 
of the workers squat around and turn over 
the weed, from which all kinds of nymphs 
crawl out. After this has been well 
searched it should always be thrown back 
into the pond or innumerable small insects 
and eggs will be destroyed. 
After we have well worked the tufts 
of weeds we should do well carefully and 
quietly to draw to land any piece of floating 
stick or uprooted reed, on the under side 
of which nymphs are exceedingly fond 
of taking shelter; any sudden jerk and 
in a moment the nymphs literally shoot 
off into deep water far beyond the reach 
of nets, : Vig. 3. 
97 
