1902.] ox THE DRAGONFLIES OF THE " SKEAT EXPEDITION." 63 



2. On a Collection of Dragonflies made by Members of the 

 Skeat Expedition in the Malay Peninsula in 1899-1900. 

 By F. F. Laidlaw, B.A. 



[Received December 28, 1901.] 

 (Plates V. & Yl} and Text-figm^es 10-12.) 



In drawing up an account of the Dragonflies collected by 

 members of the Skeat Expedition, I have thought it worth while 

 to include in my list not only the names of species represented in 

 this cohection, but also of all those which I have been able to find 

 recorded as having occurred in the Malay Peninsula, It will be 

 seen that the list is a fairly large one, although it is impossible to 

 suppose that the full richness of the fauna of this part of the 

 woi-ld has been as yet revealed. 



Noticeably this is the case with the Gomphince ; it is worthy of 

 remark that our collection contained five specimens representing 

 four difierent species, and that none of these were identical with 

 any species previously found in the Peninsula. I have been able 

 through the courtesy of Mr. Kirby to add to my list the names 

 of the species taken by Mr. Ridley, specimens of which are in 

 the British Museum. I have to thank both Mr. Kirby and 

 Dr. Sharp very sincerely for many useful suggestions and much 

 kind assistance. 



Lastly, I have to thank the other members of the Expedition 

 for their kind assistance in making the collection. 



I have given references in every case where possible to Mr. 

 Kirby's ' Catalogue of the Odonata,' published in 1890, where 

 full allusion to papers published before that date will be found. 



The following notes on the habits of some of the species col- 

 lected may be of interest : — 



LibelluliDjE. — Almost without exception the numerous mem- 

 bers of this family avoid forests and are to be found in flat open 

 country, rice-fields, and clearings near the forests, especially where 

 there happens to be a stagnant pool in the neighbourhood. 



Certain very common and widely spread species are to be 

 found wherever there is a suitable locality. Such are especially 

 Orthetrum sabina and to a lesser extent Pantala flavescens, 

 Tholymis tillarga, Trithemis trivialis, Tr-ithemis aurora. 



Certain other species with a very wide range in the Oriental 

 Tropics seem to prefer the neighbourhood of the sea. Such are 

 the members of the genus Ryothemis, also Neuroiliemis tullia and 

 Brachythemis contammata . 



The rarer and more characteristic species are only to be found 

 in up-country cleai-ings. The only species that I saw actually in 

 the forests were Camacinia gigantea, Gratilla metallica, Tyrio- 



1 For explanation of the Plates, see p. 92. 



