AQUATIC INSECTS IN THE ADIRONDACKS 515 



Nymph. Total length 21 mm; abdomen 12.5 mm; hind femur 6 

 mm ; width of head 6 mm, of abdomen 7 mm. 



To the foregoing generic characterization of the nymphs of C e 1 i t h e- 

 mis and to the statement of the characters made for this species in the 

 table, It need only be added here that in this nymph there is a blackish 

 band between the eyes, and the femora are ringed with the same color ; 

 the abdomen is widest across the sixth segment, beyond which the sides 

 seem scarcely narrowed to the tips of the lateral spines of the ninth 

 segment; the lateral margins of segments 8 and 9 are conspicuously 

 spinulose serrate. 



The nymphs clamber about on submerged objects, and climb up 



stumps, etc., at the bank to transform, going but a little way, usually not 



farther than a foot. 



Celithemis elisa Hagen 



1861 Diplax elisa Ha<^en, Synopsis Neur. N. Am. p. 182 

 1867 Diplax elisa Packard, Am. nat. 1 : 311, pi . 9, fig. 5 



1862 Celithemis elisa Walsh, Acad. nat. sci. Phil. Proc. p. 400 

 1875 Celithemis elisa Hagen, Bost. soc. nat. hist. Proc. 18 : 67 



1893 Celithemis elisa Calvert, Am. ent. soc. Trans. 20:261 (description) 

 1895 Celithemis elisa Walsh, N. Y. ent. soc. Jour. 3 : 48 (listed from Long 

 Island, New York and Ithaca) 



1899 Celithemis elisa Kellieott, Odon. Ohio, p. 104 (description) 



1900 Celithemis elisa Williamson, Dragon flies Ind. p. 318 (description) 

 This species has about the same seasonal range as the preceding. 



E. B. Williamson has written {loc. cit. p. 319-20) very interestingly of the 

 habits of the imago, as follows. 



This species may often be found resting on the inflorescence of some of 

 the rushes, preferably the bulrush, Scirpus lacustris, growing in 

 the shallow waters of our lakes. So perched on a swinging rush, they 

 have a wide view of what is going on about them and at the same time 

 are inconspicuous, harmonizing well with the dingy brown of the over 

 ripe flowers to which they cHng. From this vantage ground they make 

 sudden dashes at passing Diptera and smaller dragon flies, often returning 

 to the identical sedge time and again. Each is the proprietor of a par- 

 ticular locahty. When one encroaches on the hunting territory of an- 

 other, he is quickly hustled away by the rightful and irate owner . . . The 

 females are more retired, and are usually found among the sedges back 

 from the water's edge. 



Nymph. Measures in total length 14.5 mm; abdomen 8 mm; hind 

 femur 4 mm ; width of head 4 mm, of abdomen 5 mm. These measure- 

 ments are taken from a father small nymph skin, from New England — a 

 bred specimen, and the only specimen in my possession. I should expect 

 the typical elisa nymphs from localities farther west would be of 

 somewhat larger size. 



