192 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



THE DEAGONFLIES OF SOUTH-WEST SUEEEY. 

 By Gordon Dalgliesh. 



LlBELLULIDJE. 



Libellula quadrimaculata (Linn.)- — This species I found in 

 considerable numbers in the parish of Thursley on a tract of 

 moorland known as Pudmoor, and I have never met with it 

 elsewhere in the surrounding country. During oviposition the 

 female constantly dips on the surface of the water and jerks her 

 abdomen under the water. Dragonflies, with perhaps one or 

 two exceptions, are essentially creatures of the sun, especially 

 the present species. About the middle of June (1909) I visited 

 the spot where I had seen these dragonflies the previous year. 

 The early morning had been cloudy with fitful breaks of sun- 

 shine. When I arrived heavy clouds obscured the sun, and I 

 walked to and fro over the ground searching for Libellula quadri- 

 maculata in vain ; not one was to be seen. I was just giving up 

 the search as useless when out came the sun. Five minutes 

 after the whole place was alive with these Dragonflies, and I 

 can only suppose that previous to this they must have been 

 resting on the rushes in the centre of a large pond. Their 

 flight, like all the Libellulidce, is swift, but does not exceed that 

 of L. depressa. 



Libellula depressa (Linn.). — Extremely abundant everywhere. 

 There is hardly a pond, however small, that is not frequented 

 by one or more of these lovely insects. Males, I have found, 

 greatly exceed the females in number. Here, at any rate, it is 

 never found far from water. I know of no insect that can rival 

 this in powers of flight, and the only way to capture a specimen 

 is to wait one's chance patiently, and strike quickly with the 

 net the moment it finishes it3 dashing flight and is hovering. 

 It is almost useless to attempt to catch it unawares when at 

 rest, for, like the proverbial weasel, it seems to sleep with "one 

 eye open." 



