AQUATIC INSECTS IN THE ADIRONDACKS 449 



Gomphus brevis Hagen 



1854 Emmons, Agric. N. Y. v. 5, Insects, pi. 15, fig. 2. (colored 



figure, no name or description) 

 1878Gompbns brevis Hagen, Acad. Belg. (2) Bui. 46:464 (original de- 



scription^ 

 1890 A est n a brevis Kirby, Cat. Neur. Odon. p. 66. (listed) 

 1892 Gomphus brevis Banks, Am. ent. soc. Trans. 19:351 (listed) 

 1895 Gomphus brevis Calvert, N. Y. ent. soc. Jour. 3:45 

 1897 Gomphus brevis Calvert, N. Y. ent. soc. Jour. 5 : 93 



This species, originally described from specimens obtained by Dr 

 •Lintner at Schoharie N. Y., was common at Saranac Inn. I captured 

 but a single imago, and saw but few, but the nymphs were very plentiful 

 in Little Clear creek. The few imagos seen flitted about the edge of the 

 water in the warm sunshine in a manner very similar to that of other 

 small gomphines; oviposition was not observed. 



The season of transformation was apparently about ended on our 

 arrival at Saranac Inn in the middle of June; exuviae which I, having 

 bred abbreviatus before, was able at once to refer to this species 

 were thickly sprinkled over the boards on the sides of the fish ponds 

 made by impounding the creek. I collected many of them during the 

 first two or three days of our stay; thereafter but few additional exuviae 

 appeared, the season being past. The species was not bred, but there 

 can be scarcely a doubt that the nymphs, referred to it here by supposition, 

 belong to it. 



The original description of this species is not generally accessible in 

 this country ; no other has been published, apparently. Therefore, be- 

 lieving that an accessible English description will be of service to some, 

 I give a brief one below, and follow it with a description of the nymph, 

 hitherto unknown. 



Imago. Measures in total length 42-45 mm ; abdomen 30-33 mm ; 

 hind wing 25-27 mm. 



Colors black and green ; face with heavy black lines on all its sutures 

 and margins, these lines sometimes overspreading the whole face except 

 the upper part of the frons and the sides of the post-clypeus and the 

 labium ; rear of the frons, all of the vertex (excepting the tips of its 

 horns), and the front and lateral margins of the occiput black; the occi- 

 put otherwise clear yellow, distinctly wider and more convex in the 

 female. 



Middors^ thoracic stripe short, with parallel sides, narrowed to a 

 median line before the collar, divided by a yellow carina ; humeral and 

 antehum.eral stripes contiguous near their upper ends, leaving an isolated 

 yellow triangular spot above, and an isolated narrow line below between 

 them; midlateral thoracic stripe incomplete above, disappearing above 

 the spiracle; stripe on the third lateral suture complete but narrow; legs 

 all black ( 6 ) or with the front femora green beneath ( $ ). 



Wings hyaline; costa black ; stigma brown. 



