412 LIFE-HISTORY OF LESTES LED A SELYS, 



many of the spring brood perish early in summer. Certainly 

 during January and February the species, though stiil common, 

 is much less abundant. Later on, in March, freshly emerged 

 specimens are freely met with, and the species becomes again 

 abundant up to about the middle of May. This may be called 

 the autumn brood, though it is by no means as prolific as the 

 spring brood. From the end of May to midwinter their numbers 

 rapidly decrease; the advent of the cold westerly marking the 

 demise of the species. In 1904 my last recorded capture of the 

 species was on June 5th (2 gs and 1 £); in 1905, the species was 

 over before the beginning of June; but I took an isolated male right 

 in the bush away from any water on a sunny day about the 

 middle of July. This year (1906) the warm weather has lasted 

 long, and at the time of writing (July 2nd) it is still possible to 

 capture half a dozen or so round any of the big water-holes by 

 careful searching. Hence it will be seen that this species is 

 recorded from Sydney for every month of the year; though as a 

 rule it is exceedingly hard to find a specimen during July and 

 the first half of August. 



Method of O v i p o s i t i o n. — The best time to observe 

 the oviposition of this species is in the morning of a bright calm 

 day in early October or April; though at any time during such a 

 day from the end of September to the end of June one may 

 reasonably expect to find several pairs on the wing. The female 

 never oviposits without the help of the male, as is the case with 

 many of the Agrionidce, notably Ischnura delieata. The male seizes 

 the female round the neck with Ids superior appendages, which are 

 conveniently forcipate, and the pair fly off together to some 

 sheltered bush or bank of reeds. Returning to the water they 

 at once set about the process of laying eggs. The male 

 seizes on some small reed or leaf just standing out of 

 the water, and, holding on tightly, arches his abdomen, dragging 

 the female up behind him. The female then reaches out 

 with her abdomen, feeling for the surface of the water. 

 If they are not low enough down, they creep gradually down 

 the surface of the stem. Often they are interrupted by 



