1871.) 127 
' NOTE ON THE OVIPOSITION OF LIBELLULA (SYMPETRUM) 
FLAVEOLA, LINNE. 
BY ALBERT MULLER, F.L.S. 
In recording the following observation, I have no wish to call for a 
controversy on disputed points, having neither the inclination nor the 
leisure for one. I confine myself to saying, that I have honestly striven 
to observe correctly, bearing in mind Réaumur’s remark that “ es....... 
observateurs ne sont pas totjours assés en garde contre Venvie de deviner 
des faits, ni assés attentifs a faire distinguer ceux qwils ne rapportent 
qwapres les avoir vis, de ceux qwils ont imaginés en grande partie” 
(Mémoires, T. 6, p. 433). 
On the 27tb August last, between 11 and 1 o’clock, as I sat down on 
the edge of a very small, shallow pond, at the bottom of Shirley Heath, my 
attention was soon drawn to the doings of a large number of cne species 
of dragon-fly, which my friend Mr. McLachlan, after examination of 
a pair taken by me in copuld, pronounces to be Libellula flaveola, Linné. 
The sun was shining brightly at the time, and the heat was intense. 
Leaving to their own games the bachelor males flirting with lonely 
spinsters, I soon perceived that more important proceedings were taking 
place on the pond. 
One copulated pair after the other came sweeping down from the 
hills, and kept hovering over the pond. If I say “copulated,” I mean 
here, that each male still kept its hold on the neck of the female with 
its anal claspers, thus almost completely controlling her actions. As 
each couple arrived, I saw them fly, joined together as described, several 
times across and around the ditch, as if to make sure that the coast was 
quite clear. They did not seem quite to like the broad brim of my 
“Leghorn,” but, as that shading head-gear was carefully kept quite mo- 
tionless, a slight curve in their course was the only indication of their 
feeling somewhat disconcerted; so, after hawking to and fro a few in- 
stants, without being disturbed, they settled down to “ business.” 
Hovering steadily at about half a foot’s distance above the water, 
I watched each male jerk his partner violently down to the level of the 
water, which impetuous movement caused a very distinct, sharp, rust- 
ling sound of their wings. Then, rapidly dragging his mate up again, 
the g would just shift his position to a little distance and repeat the 
same ‘“‘ whipping ’”’ of his helpless partner. Each time the surface was 
beaten by one stroke, as shown by the single circular wave gradually 
spreading ; and each time only the abdomen of the ? touched the water. 
Now, I knew a little of what had been written on this “ ungentlemanly” 
behaviour, and I particularly recollected the expressive poetical passage 
