DRAGONFLY COLLECTING IN INDIA. 
893 
pleasant anticipation of coming across “ something new.” A new butterfly 
is a rare event now-a-days but new species of dragonflies are constantly being 
discovered. Since I have been in the Nilgiris, a space of only one year, I have 
found no less than ten new species and have received a larger number than this 
from various parts of India and Burma. 
(vi) The distribution of species is another interesting point on which ama- 
teur collectors can help to give information. Less than six years ago, Hemi- 
cordulia asiatica was only known from a couple of male specimens taken in 
Assam. Since then Mr. Bambrigge Fletcher, the Imperial Entomologist, has redis- 
covered it in Assam and last year foimd it fairly common at Kodaikanal in 
the Palni Hills. Since then I have found it quite common in the Nilgiris, a 
species which was thought to be conflned to the far North. Hemicordulia is an 
Australian genus so that it is evident that it has spread from the south to the 
north and I have no doubt but that we shall shortly hear of it from Cevlon and 
possibly Java. 
II. — How and Where to Collect Dragonflies. 
A few words first about the equipment the dragonfly collector needs. I 
usually carry a small haversack fitted with three small and one large pockets. 
In the small pockets are a couple of cyanide killing bottles to be obtained from 
any chemist and an empty large mouthed bottle fitted with a cork for carrying 
larvae in. In the large pocket is a small folding net of muslin and another with 
a strong iron rim, the material formmg the net being strong, rather open, dun- 
garee. This latter is used for dredging for larvae. A few small tins (Colgate’s 
shaving stick tins are very useful) are also carried in the large pocket for 
holding the surplus of our captures and any exuvia that may be happened upon. 
For all round work I use a large net of somewhat different type to that des- 
cribed by Col. Evans in his paper on 
collecthig butterflies. I find the 
weak part of his net is where the 
cane fits into the arms of the Y-piece. 
The constant swa 5 dng backwards and 
forwards of the net when in play, 
.soon causes the cane to splitj and 
break at this point. To remedy 
this defect I had a Y-piece made 
with the stem prolonged beyond 
the arms of the Y as shown in the 
diagram (Fig. 1). The stick rims 
right through the Y and is carried 
across the centre of the net to fit 
into a T-piece at the top. The cane 
is fitted into the arms of the Y and 
runs clean through the arms of the 
T-piece. Such a net is absolutely 
rigid and strong enough to last for 
years. My present one was made by 
a tmsmith in the Trichinopoly 
bazaar fourteen years ago. The 
stick in the middle of the net is no 
draw-back as one very rarely strikes 
a specimen with it and even when 
this happens, the insect passes on 
into the net without any appreciable 
damage. The measurements are 2 
„ . 1 H f®ct and the material ordinary 
Fig. 1. ^Net u^d for collecthig dragonflies. Mosquito netting is useless as 
Note the three-armed Y-piece and jg terrible stuff to rip in tho length 
the top T-piece. j£ bump up against lantana 
or other thorny bushes your hunting is over for the day. 
