36 THE ENTOMOLOGISt. 



Sympctnun vidgatiim, Eeddish olive. The pterostigma (the 

 conspicuous spot on the costal margin of the wings near the tip) 

 is also reddish. Heaths in the Delamere district. Evidently- 

 scarce and local. The Delamere form, which is exceptionally 

 large, has been honoured with the varietal name of major. 

 June. 



Sympetrum scoticum. The wing-bases have a deep yellowish 

 suffusion or blotch. Abundant on the Delamere heaths in August 

 and September. The sexes in L. dubia and S. scoticum differ 

 very much in coloration. 



Libellula quadrimacidata. Easily distinguished, for, as the 

 name implies, it is the four-spotted dragonfly. Further, the 

 lower wings possess a large, triangular, basal patch of dark 

 brown beautifully reticulated with yellow. I have only met with 

 this insect on one of the Delamere heaths. June. 



Orthetrum ccerulescens. The male, especially, is powdered 

 with " cobalt blue." Merionethshire ; near Parkgate ; Bidston, 

 near Wallasey. Scarce. July. 



Brachytron pratense (yEscHNiD^). This is one of the largest 

 species of dragonflies. Spotted with blue. I have only taken it 

 near the Black Falls, Maentwrog, Merionethshire. July. 



JEschna juncea (the wood sphinx). Another of the large 

 blue-spotted dragonflies. Occurs on all the wooded Delamere 

 heaths. August and September. 



M. grandis. A large russet-coloured dragonfly, with blue spots 

 and russet-tinted wings. It is easily distinguished by the blue 

 spots on the thorax at the base of each wing. This is our com- 

 monest and best distributed species. I have a specimen which 

 flew into a house in Chester. Perhaps the best locality is by the 

 pond on the top of Helsby Hill where, on September 10th, I came 

 across nearly a dozen flying about and resting on the stone wall 

 by the roadside. August and September. 



Ccdopteryx virgo. This handsome insect, all aglow with pea- 

 cock green, I found by the wooded streams in Merionethshire. 

 The variety eversmanni, in which the wings of the male are 

 smoky, is the form on the banks of the Dee. June and July. 



C. splendens. The wings of the male are transparent with a 

 broad, dark, central band. I mention this lovely species as I 

 have a strong recollection I saw three or four specimens on the 

 lower reaches of the Dee, a mile or so above Chester, some years 

 ago. But, " as both species of Ccdopteryx never occupy the same 

 stream or brook," I fear I was mistaken. June and July. 



Lestes sponsa. One of the small, blue and black dragonflies. 

 The colours, however, are bronzed, and therefore permanent. 

 On one or two of the pools on the Delamere heaths. July and 

 August. 



Pyrrhosoma minium. Easily identified by its ruby-coloured 

 body. Wooded Delamere heaths. June. 



