1922.] F. C. FrasER : Odonata from the Nilgiris. 5 



to the latter, if compared to the length of the thorax, it is probably 

 the longest abdomen found in any known dragonfly not excepting 

 Mecisiogaster. 



Key to the Protosticta from Southern India. 



1. Abdominal segments 8 and 9 of nearly equal length ; 



stigma blood red ... ... ... ... P. sanguinostigma. 



Abdominal segment 8 more than twice the length of 

 segment 9 ; stigma black ... ... ... 2. 



2. Prothorax white marked with a posterior, dorsal, trian- 



gular spot ... ... ... ... 3. 



Prothorax entirely bluish white ... ... ... P. hearseyi. 



3. Abdominal segment 8 entirely black ... ... P. gravelyi. 



Abdominal segment 8 with the basal third or half bluish 



white, the apical third or half black, the dorsal carina 



of this segment on its basal half finely black ... P. stevensi. 



Protosticta hearseyi, sp. nov. 

 (Plate I, figs. 3,4.) 



Two males and 15 females, 26vi'2i, Gudalur, Nilgiris, 4500 ft. 



Male. Abdomen 35 mm. Hindwing 21 mm. 



Head black, labium ashy white, labrum and genae palest 

 blue, the former margined finely with black, the two basal joints 

 of antennae pale blue. Eyes pale blue changing to olivaceous on 

 the crown and paling beneath. 



Prothorax pale blue, unmarked. 



Thorax glossy black, almost metallic on the dorsum, pale blue 

 at the sides. The mid-dorsal carina strongly defined in pale blue. 

 Laterally a broad, black stripe on the 2nd suture and foreborder 

 of metepimeron. 



Beneath a black spot between the two hind legs and a pair 

 of elongated spots posteriorly which converge on one another 

 as they approach the first spot. 



Legs bluish white, the two posterior pairs with a linear, 

 black stripe on the femora. 



Wings hyaline, the apices rather elongate ; stigma black, its 

 costal border shorter than the posterior, the inner border oblique; 

 14 postnodal nervures in the forewing. . , 



Abdomen blackish brown marked with pale blue, this colour 

 most marked on the end segments. The sides of segments 1 and 



2 whitish, as is also a diffuse streak on the mid-dorsum, incomplete 

 on the apical half of segment 2 ; pale basal annules on segments 



3 to 7 which broaden laterally and obliquely ; segment 8 turquoise 

 blue marked narrowly and apically with black ; segments 9 and 

 10 black, the former having a bluish marking on its side shaped 

 like a crescent and star. 



. Relative size of the abdominal segments as for P. gravelyi 

 Laid. 



Anal appendages of subequal length, about as long as the two 

 last abdominal segments. The superior stout at the base with a 

 spine on the inner side of smaller size and nearer the base than that 



