58 BHlh'fni Wisfonnn ^^atnral History Society. [Vol. 6, Nos. 1—3. 
names we have a series, such as damsel-flies, dragon-flies, horse- 
stingers, snake-feeders, spindlers, skimmers, for the whole order, 
and a few— amber-wing, wliite-face, dog-tail, marking the distinc- 
tive features of a species or genus. Of these names "damsel-flies" 
and ''dragon-flies" are the most common, and considering the two 
types of Odonata, the dainty name of damsel-flies for the more 
timid, weaker types, and dragon-flies for the larger, formidable 
and predatory types are peculiarly appropriate. 
CHARACTERS. The Odonata form one of the more primitive 
orders of insects and their characters may be summed up briefly 
thus: Wings four, sub-equal, net-veined, provided with a spot 
near the apex, the stigma, tarsi three- jointed, antennae short, in- 
conspicuous ; metamorphosis incomplete. 
LIFE HISTORY. From the time the egg hatches to the 
moment when the adult dragon-fly casts ofl:* its nymphal skin there 
is no well defined series of molts as among the higher orders of 
insects. The metamorphosis is incomplete since the larva has its 
later character indicated by the rudimentary wing-cases, the great 
eyes, and the big labial lobes. In all stages the insect is restive, 
never seeking complete quiet and solitude preparatory to emer- 
gence. The habits of the nymph are predatory, the methods ap- 
plied when hunting for prey being three-fold ; crawling, burrow- 
ing, and clinging. The last method is applied by the Agrionidae, 
Aeschninae and the greater number of Libellulinse. Crawling is 
applied by the Macrominse, Cordulegasterinae,and the smaller part 
of the Libellulinae ; the nymphs sit among the rubbish at the bot- 
tom of ponds, rivers and slow bodies of water and aided by their 
protective resemblance to the surroundings, wait in greedy ambush 
for their unsuspecting prey. The representatives of the third 
group, comprising the Gomphinse, burrow in the silt and sand of 
river-bottoms for their victims. 
When the adult dragon-fly has cast off its skin, it usually rests 
