484 NEW AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF THE FAMILY LIBELLUL1DJ1, 



area of the forewings. In Crocothemis there are three ranks of 

 cells in the discoidal area all the way; in Erythemis there are 

 three cells, followed by two ranks afterwards (Plate xliv. figs. 2-3). 



One male and two females of this insect were taken by me on 

 the Carrington Marsh, near Atherton, N.Q., in company with 

 the preceding species. Its flight and habits are also similar. 

 One female also from Cairns, N.Q.(E. Allen). 



This insect is already recorded from New Guinea. 



5. Macrodiplax lycoris Selys. 



An insect of similar size and shape to the last two, but easily 

 distinguished by the broad irregular jet black dorsal band on the 

 red abdomen, the portions of which on each segment from 2-8 are 

 clepsydrate in form, and on 9 form a large segment of a circle. 



Kirby gives Madagascar^) as the habitat of this insect. Selys 

 obtained his specimens from New Guinea. I believe the female 

 is unknown. The male flies swiftly over creeks and rivers, often 

 wandering into the bush, like Pantala flavescens. It is rare and 

 local, and only occurs singly. About half-a-dozen males were 

 taken by me at Kuranda and Cairns, N.Q. , 



6. Diplacodes trivialis Ramb. 



This common insect is exceedingly abundant in India, Ceylon, 

 and the East Indies. It has never been recorded before for Aus- 

 tralia. In the summer it is very rare in the Cairns district. I 

 took several males and two females at Redly rich, near Cairns, 

 N.Q., flying around the edges of billabongs of still water. In the 

 winter it is exceedingly common. I have received great numbers 

 of it, together with Brachydiplax australis, a somewhat similar 

 insect, from Mr. E. Allen of Cairns. 



The male and female are both, for many weeks after emergence, 

 of a dull brown colour, with black markings. Later on, when 

 quite matured, the thorax and abdomen of the male, and more 

 rarely of the female also, become covered with a bluish bloom, 

 except on the last segment or two, which are jet black. So differ- 

 ent does the insect then appear from the described brown type, 



