A LIST OF DRAGONFLIES FROM MAHABLESHWAR. 543 



a black, triangular marking and in some specimens the apex of 

 the 7th segment bears a blue annule, incomplete in the middle 

 of dorsum. This blue annule in one specimen, is indicated by 

 two minute blue spots lying within the black, and there are 

 two similar spots of blue lying within the black on the dorsal 

 surface of the 10th segment. 



25. Paeudagrion decorum, Ramb. Only a single female seen, no males 



seen or taken. 



26. Pseudagrion hypermelas, Selys. Moderately common along the 



upper reaches of the stream. 



27. Aciagrion pallidum, Selys. One female taken in dense jungle near 



the upper part of stream. 



"28, Aciagrion hisopa, race krishna, nov. The ground colouring of the 

 prothorax, thorax and of the post-ocular spot is a deep lilac blue, 

 which unfortunately fades after death or in alcohol. In the 

 male the last 3 segments of the abdomen are of a royal, purplish 

 blue, with, in a few specimens only, a small, elongated spot of 

 black on the sides of the 8th segment. There is also quite 

 occasionally a basal and mid-dorsal marking of black on the 

 10th segment. The ground colouring of the female is a pale greenish 

 yellow, the 9th and 10th segments only being roj'al blue. Occasion- 

 ally the apical border of the 8th segment is blue and frequently 

 the basal third of the 9th is black, so that the blue on the 8th is 

 enclosed and appears as a broad, blue annule. 



Prior to a series of heavy thunderstomis, on the 23rd May, 

 a large number of these insects emerged from the water. In their 

 teneral condition they were useless as specimens, and so a few days 

 later I went to collect the adult specimens, but found the insects 

 quite scarce, especially the females which had apparently penetiated 

 into the surrounding jungle. 



Incidentally I may mention that I have often noticed that tue 

 simultaneous emergence of a large number of dragonflies infallibly 

 portends heavy rain. This emergence was not a coincidence as two 

 other species participated at the same time. What obscure instinct 

 prompts this quickening, it is hard to say, but it is certain that 

 insects, as a rule, can give a far better forecast of the monsoon than 

 our most talented meteorologists. 



.29. Copera marginipes, Ramb. Common. Large numbers of white, teneral 

 specimens appeared on the same date as the previous. They 

 frequented the scrub lining the banks of the stream throughout the 

 whole of its course. 



SO. Caconeura annandalei, sp. nov. Males moderately common, females 

 very rare, especiallv after the 23rd May, on which date most of the 

 species emeiged. No adult forms were seen until ihe 2()th. 



Male- Length 35-5 mm., abdomen 29 mm., hindwing 20 mm., 

 postnodal nervures, forewing variable 13/16, hindwing constant 12. 

 Head • labrum ochreous with a black spot at the base ; sides of face 

 pale rest of head velvety black, except in not fully adult forms m 

 which there is a more or less obscure reddish line traAci-suig the 

 vertex at the level of the anterior ocellus. Eyes olivaceous brown 

 above, pale green below and with a broad, equatorial belt of brown 

 separating the two colours abruptly. . . , • 1 4. u^,„ 



Prothorax jet black in adults but with a spot of bnght yellow 

 m younger forms, in continuation of the huracial hue. 



Thorax black marked as follows :-bright red, narrow, humeral 

 bands with a golden sheen which taper posteriorly., two broad. 



