HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Bournemouth, is a very good collecting-ground for 

 these majestic creatures ; it abounds in ponds and 

 clay-pits, some of which are situated on the common, 

 others in the surrounding woods, while there are 

 several first-class streams and brooks in the immediate 

 district, all of which teem with dragon-flies. 



The neighbourhood of Lymington, Ringwood, and 

 Lyndhurst also, are famous habitats for many kinds, 

 while several species swarm on the reedy river at 

 Beaulieu, between which village and Lymington 

 there is a very large pool called Sowley Pond, which 

 may also be visited with very successful results. 



The following species of dragon-flies have been 

 known to occur within the boundaries of the New 

 Forest, namely, Platetrum depressum (very common), 

 Lepletrum quadrimaculata, (very abundant), also its 

 beautiful austral variety pnentibila (which is very 

 common as well), Libellula fulva (very rare and 

 local), Orthetruvi c&rulesccns (plentiful), Sympetrum 

 vulgaium (exceedingly abundant, occurring in thou- 

 sands in certain seasons), S. sanguineiim, Cordulia 

 anea, (not uncommon, principally found in the 

 neighbourhood of Brockenhurst and Beaulieu), 

 Oxygastra Curtisii (occurs at Brockenhurst, but is 

 rare) Gomphus vulgatissimus (not uncommon in the 

 vicinity of Brockenhurst), Cordulegaster annulatus 

 (very plentiful on most of the rivers and brooks), 

 Anaso formosus (rare), Brachytron pratense (local), 

 sEsckna cyanea (abundant everywhere), jE. grandis 

 (not uncommon), AL. rufesccns (very rare), Calopteryx 

 virga (exceedingly abundant on all the rivers and 

 streams), C. splendcns (ditto), Lestes viridis (a single 

 specimen only of this pretty insect has been taken in 

 the New Forest, which, however, was many years 

 ago, and formerly adorned the famous private 

 collection of Mr. Evans, the well-known entomo- 

 logist ; this species has been captured nowhere 

 else in this country), L. nympha (rare), L. sponsa 

 (common, but local), L. virens (only two specimens 

 of this species have hitherto been taken in this 

 country, both in the New Forest ; they were formerly 

 included in the rich cabinet of Mr. J. F. Stephens, 

 the celebrated author), Platycnemis pennipes (local), 

 Enallagma cyastrigerium (common), Agrion mer- 

 curiale (common, but very local ; it is only known 

 to occur in one other locality in this country, namely, 

 at Epping Forest, in Essex). A . pulchellum (common), 

 A.puella (exceedingly abundant everywhere), Ischnura 

 pumilio (very rare and local), /. elegans (very common 

 everywhere), Pyrrhosoma minium (exceedingly abun- 

 dant everywhere), and P. tenellum (local and rare). 



The neighbourhood of Christchurch is a very good 

 one for dragon-flies, particularly on the river Avon 

 and the river Soar, both of which abound with reeds 

 and rushes. Heron Court, not far from hence, is the 

 headquarters of that very rare and .local species 

 Oxygastra Curtisii, which is only found in two or 

 three other localities in this country, namely, in the 

 adjacent counties of Dorset and Devon (in addition 



to the New Forest, as previously mentioned). It has 

 been captured near Heron Court on several occasions, 

 but is always rare. 



Parley Heath and Heron Common, about five 

 miles from Christchurch, situated between the rivers 

 Avon and Stour constitute two of the best collecting- 

 grounds for dragon-flies in the country. They both 

 contain a great number of ponds and clay-pits, and 

 abound in damp spots filled with reeds and other 

 marsh-loving plants. Here one may meet with 

 almost as many kinds of dragon-flies as in the New 

 Forest itself, while certain species occur in even 

 greater numbers than in the wooded area. The very 

 local Libellula fulva, which is rare in the New Forest, 

 occurs not uncommonly on Parley Heath, but it is a 

 very difficult species to procure, as it has the habit of 

 keeping nearly the whole of its time out of reach, in 

 the centre of the ponds it is pleased to frequent, and 

 only 'by means of a very long net may we hope to 

 secure it. For this purpose a bamboo fishing-rod 

 with telescopic joints, having the topmost joint 

 removed (as described in my " Illustrated Hand- 

 book of British Dragon-flies ") would constitute the 

 most convenient kind of handle. The beautiful variety 

 of Libellulafulva, namely fasciata, which possesses the 

 apices of the wings brown, also occurs in this de- 

 lightful district, from whence I have two very fine 

 female specimens in my collection. 



The very rare and local Ischnura pumilis has been 

 taken on Parley Heath as well as, by myself, at Bourne- 

 mouth, five miles distant on the sea coast. The 

 latter locality also is a very good one for dragon- 

 flies, particularly round the ponds on Canford Heath, 

 at the back of the town. This pretty common, how : 

 ever, is unfortunately being rapidly encroached upon 

 for building purposes, and the habitat of many good 

 species will consequently be destroyed in a few years 

 hence. The local Lestes sponsa occurs very plentifully 

 at Bournemouth, which town, by the bye, is a very 

 convenient place to stop at, as all the localities men- 

 tioned above may easily be reached from it by either 

 rail or road. 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



A HOST valuable paper for marine zoologists 

 appeared in the December number of the " Annals 

 and Magazine of Natural History," entitled "Natural 

 History Notes, from H.M. Indian Marine Survey 

 steamer Investigator, Commander R. F. Hoskyn. 

 Series II., No. I, 'On the Results of Deep Sea 

 Dredging during the Season 1890-91,' by J. Wood- 

 Mason, Superintendent of the Indian Museum, etc., 

 and A. Alcock, Surgeon I. M.S., Surgeon-Naturalist 

 to the Survey." 



We are glad to welcome another of Mr. Dugald 

 Bell's capital and original papers on glacial geology. 



