AQUATIC INSECTS IN THE ADIRONDACKS 443 



Lanthus albistylus Selys 



1878 Gomphus albistjlus Selys, Acad. Belg. (2) Bui. 46:460 (original 



description of 5 from Maine) 

 1878 Gomphus naevius Acad. Belg. (2) Bui. 46:462 (original description 



of 5 from Pennsylvania) 

 1890 Aeslina albistyla Kirby, Cat. Neur. Odou. p. 66 (bibliography) 

 1890 Aeshna naevius Kirby, Cat. Neur. Odon. p. 66 (bibliography) 

 1892 Gomphus albistylus Am. ent. soc. Trans. 19 : 351 (listed) 



1892 Gomphus albistylus Banks, Am. ent. soc. Trans. 19 : 352 (listed) 



1893 Gomphus albistylus Calvert, Am. ent. soc. Trans. 20:242 (descrip- 



tion) 

 1898 Gomphus albistylus Harvey, Ent. news. 9 : 63-65 (description, figure 

 and notes) 



Still known only from Maine and Pennsylvania, in which states, how- 

 ever, Prof. F. L. Harvey and E. B. Williamson, respectively, have col- 

 lected a goodly number of specimens of both sexes. There is in the 

 Cornell university collection a specimen lacking half the abdomen, 

 probably of this species, from North Carolina. The nymph is not 

 known (unless the ones described by Hagen should prove to be of this 

 species, instead of L. p a r v u 1 u s , as I have supposed. I have not 

 compared my own nymphs with Hagen's types). 



GOMPHUS 



The United States is the center of abundance for this great genus, 

 and it is nowhere better represented than in New York state. Our list 

 includes 17 regional species, only two of which have not yet been act- 

 ually taken in the state. They are species of medium or large size, 

 often very local, and locally very abundant. They are found about 

 water, and in woods and copses adjacent to it. They are often flushed 

 from a bare path or roadway ; they are perhaps most commonly seen 

 resting flat on the surface of some log which stretches its length across a 

 stream ; they rarely perch atop a slender twig after the manner of the 

 skimmers (libellulinesj. Our species fly mainly in June, though G. 

 scudderi is a midsummer, and G. spinicepsa late summer 

 species. 



The nymphs form a most important part of the bottom fauna in all 

 clear waters. They are active burrowers, taking their prey either on or 

 beneath the surface of the bottom silt. They are very rapacious, and 

 will eat almost any living animals small enough to be held by their pow- 

 erful grasping labia. The nymphs are highly specialized for their pecu- 

 liar life. They are more unlike than are the imagos, and in general more 



