502 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



For location of descriptions of other species of the genus, some of 

 which are Hkely to be taken in this state when careful collecting is done, 

 consult the three bibliographic lists mentioned on p. 431. 



Fig. 27 Soraatochlora tenebrosa Say, end of abdomen, j and k of male ; I of the female 

 (appendages omitted) 



CORDULIA 



There is a single species belonging to our fauna. 

 Cordulia shurtleffi Scudder 



1866Cordulia shurtleffi Scudder, Bost. soc. nat. hist. Proc. 10 : 217 

 1871 Cordulia shurtleffi Hagen, Bost. soc. nat. hist. Proc. 15 : 377 



This species seems not to have been recorded hitherto from New York 

 state. It was common at Saranac Inn. A few imagos were observed 

 flying about the hatchery grounds, and along the creek, but their favorite 

 resort for foraging and sport was the edge of a boggy pond hidden in the 

 deep woods — such a pond, for instance, as the one a quarter of a mile 

 south of the station, or the one north of the outlet of Little Clear 

 pond back of the cabins. I spent a few of the pleasantest hours of 

 the summer collecting on the springy border of the pond first named, 

 immersed to the knees in the sinking sphagnum moss, a floating islet of 

 sphagnum, decked with beautiful orchids, cut off by a narrow strait 

 of clear green water at my feet. The Cordulias would fly along 

 this strait between the islet and the moss on which I stood, and 

 within reach of my net. There were generally a dozen or more about at 

 a time, and one could be expected to traverse the strait every few min- 

 utes — often enough to keep a collector interested. So fleet are they, 

 however, and so artful at dodging a net that generally a good many 

 minutes elapsed between captures. Their flight is as free and graceful 

 as their coloration is beautiful. Rarely was one seen to alight, but oc- 



