﻿488 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  EPICORDULIA 
  

  

  We 
  have 
  a 
  single 
  species. 
  

  

  Epicordulia 
  princeps 
  Hagen 
  

  

  Water 
  prince 
  (PI. 
  22, 
  fig. 
  i) 
  

  

  1861 
  Epitlieca 
  princeps 
  Hagen, 
  Synopsis 
  Neur. 
  N. 
  Am. 
  p. 
  134 
  

   1875Cordulia 
  princeps 
  Hagen, 
  Bost. 
  soc. 
  nat. 
  hist. 
  Proc. 
  18:61 
  

  

  (bibliography) 
  

   1893 
  Epicordulia 
  princeps 
  Calvert, 
  Am. 
  ent. 
  soc. 
  Traus. 
  20 
  : 
  251 
  (de- 
  

   scription) 
  

  

  1899 
  E 
  p 
  i 
  c 
  or 
  dnlia 
  princeps 
  Kellicott, 
  Odon. 
  Ohio, 
  p. 
  88 
  (description) 
  

  

  1900 
  Epicordulia 
  princeps 
  Williamson, 
  Dragoa 
  flies 
  Ind. 
  p. 
  310 
  (de- 
  

  

  scription) 
  

   1890 
  Epitbeca 
  princeps 
  Cabot, 
  Immature 
  state 
  Odon. 
  pt 
  3, 
  p. 
  25, 
  no. 
  

  

  12, 
  pi. 
  3, 
  fig. 
  3 
  and 
  no. 
  13, 
  pi. 
  4, 
  fig. 
  3 
  {juv. 
  nympb) 
  

   1889 
  ''Libellulina 
  nymphs 
  nos. 
  10 
  and 
  12." 
  Garman, 
  111. 
  state 
  lab. 
  nat» 
  

  

  hist. 
  Bui. 
  3, 
  3 
  : 
  179 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  is 
  distinguishable 
  from 
  all 
  the 
  following 
  even 
  in 
  flight 
  by 
  

   its 
  large 
  size 
  and 
  its 
  brown 
  wing 
  blotches 
  at 
  nodus 
  and 
  stigma. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  

   widely 
  distributed 
  species, 
  locally 
  common 
  where 
  there 
  are 
  ponds 
  or 
  

   sluggish 
  streams 
  with 
  muddy, 
  reed-grown 
  banks. 
  Images 
  appear 
  on 
  the 
  

   wing 
  in 
  May 
  and 
  continue 
  flying 
  through 
  midsummer. 
  They 
  seem 
  ab- 
  

   solutely 
  tireless 
  in 
  flight 
  ; 
  very 
  rarely 
  indeed 
  is 
  one 
  seen 
  resting. 
  The 
  

   males 
  at 
  least 
  prefer 
  the 
  surface 
  of 
  still 
  water, 
  over 
  which 
  they 
  will 
  

   sweep 
  back 
  and 
  forth 
  in 
  zigzag 
  lines 
  and 
  broad 
  curves 
  hour 
  after 
  hour. 
  

  

  The 
  nymphs 
  sprawl 
  on 
  the 
  bottom 
  amid 
  fallen 
  reeds, 
  or 
  clamber 
  over 
  

   submerged 
  logs. 
  In 
  winter 
  I 
  have 
  found 
  numbers 
  of 
  them 
  crowded 
  in 
  

   the 
  crevices 
  of 
  a 
  submerged 
  stump. 
  

  

  Transformation 
  takes 
  place 
  very 
  early 
  in 
  the 
  morning. 
  The 
  nymphs 
  

   will 
  crawl 
  several 
  meters 
  from 
  the 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  if 
  necessary 
  in 
  order 
  

   to 
  find 
  a 
  proper 
  support. 
  They 
  are 
  stiff' 
  creatures 
  with 
  legs 
  set 
  wide 
  

   apart, 
  and, 
  not 
  being 
  good 
  climbers 
  of 
  reeds, 
  generally 
  seek 
  some 
  

   broader 
  supporting 
  surface, 
  such 
  as 
  the 
  side 
  of 
  a 
  stump, 
  or 
  a 
  cluster 
  of 
  

   grass 
  blades. 
  The 
  eggs 
  are 
  dropped 
  by 
  the 
  female 
  while 
  flying 
  alone, 
  

   dips 
  being 
  made 
  far 
  out 
  in 
  open 
  water, 
  and 
  widely 
  distributed. 
  

  

  Nymph. 
  (PI. 
  21, 
  fig. 
  2) 
  Measures 
  in 
  total 
  length 
  27 
  mm 
  ; 
  abdomen 
  

   17 
  mm; 
  hind 
  femur 
  8 
  mm; 
  width 
  of 
  head 
  7.5 
  mm, 
  of 
  abdomen 
  8 
  to 
  

   12 
  mm, 
  there 
  being 
  very 
  great 
  variation 
  in 
  this 
  last 
  measurement. 
  

  

  Since 
  this 
  nymph 
  has 
  been 
  figured 
  and 
  described 
  by 
  Cabot, 
  it 
  will 
  

   suffice 
  here 
  to 
  give 
  a 
  brief 
  statement 
  of 
  the 
  more 
  distinguishing 
  charac- 
  

   teristics. 
  Head 
  a 
  little 
  narrowed 
  behind 
  the 
  small 
  eyes, 
  which 
  cover 
  

   the 
  anterolateral 
  angles; 
  there 
  is 
  a 
  pair 
  of 
  low 
  conic 
  tubercles 
  on 
  the 
  top 
  

   of 
  the 
  head, 
  these 
  larger 
  in 
  younger 
  nymphs, 
  and 
  sometimes 
  even 
  cultri- 
  

   form. 
  The 
  statement 
  that 
  the 
  young 
  nymphs 
  of 
  this 
  species 
  do 
  not 
  differ 
  

  

  