250 Ephemekiu^. INSECTS. Libellulid.e. 
the Pteronarcys resembles an amphibious animal in its 
habit of life, and may be designated “an Insect Proteus 
among the winged Articulata — the representation in 
structure, as it appears to be in habit, of the Proteus 
of Vertebrata. Its organs of respiration fully justify 
us in instituting this comparison. The true Proteus 
lias both lungs and branchiae ; and a similar conforma- 
tion of structure exists in Pteronarcys, in so far as the 
ramified tracheae being the direct recipients of atmos- 
pheric air, are to be regarded as the representatives of 
lungs.” — Linn. Trans., vol. xx., p. 433. 
Most of the Canadian Perlidae in the daytime retreat 
to the cracked fissures of deca 3 md trees. Mr. Barnston 
noticed that the species called Capnia vernalis comes 
out of the water in the nymph state in the cracks of the 
ice, and casts its skin there ; this it does when the 
thermometer indicates that it is freezing. 
FAMir.Y— EPHEMERID^ {May Flies). 
This is a family of important insects, seeing that they 
furnish much food to fresh-water fishes. The antennse 
are very small (Plate 6, fig. 9, Ephemera vulgata). The 
mouth is nearly obsolete in the perfect insect ; indeed, 
in that state they only live a few hours ; hence their 
name Ephemera. The metamorphoses of these insects 
are very interesting ; but space prevents me from enter- 
ing on the detail. They abound in New Zealand. One 
species, E. albipennis, with white wings, is common in 
Europe. Swarms of this species are often met with : 
they resemble in this state a fall of snow. The dead 
bodies are at times collected in some parts of Europe 
as manure. 
Family — LIBELLULTDJ3 {Dragon-flies). 
Dr. Hagen records forty-six British species.* He 
places them in the following sections : — 
Tribe I. — -Wings not similar; the hind ones dilated at the 
base. 
Div. 1. — Lower lip smaller than the palpi. 
1. Sub family LiiiELEUniNA. Eyes simple, not prolonged pos- 
teriorly. Larva of Libellida depressa, figured Plate 6, 
fig. 3. ■ 
Genus Libellida, with thirteen species. 
Fig. 153. 
2. Sub-family Coruulina. The eyes with a slight prolonga- 
tion backwards. 
Genus Cordulia, with four species. 
Div. 2. — Lower lip larger than the palpi. 
3. Sub-family Gomphina. — Eyes not contiguous, or scarcely so. 
• See his Synopsis in Stainton’s Entomologist’s Annual for 
1857, p. 39. 
Genus GompJius. — Eyes remote ; lower lip rounded at the tip. 
Three British species. 
Genus Cordulegaster. — Eyes slightly contiguous, lower lip cleft 
at the end. One British species. 
4. Sub-family .Sschnina. — Eyes completely contiguous. 
Genus jEsdma. — Anal angle of hind wings sharp in the male 
and rounded in the female. Seven species. Of these, 
one species {jE. borealis), previously to its being taken in 
Scotland by M. De Selys during a short visit, was not 
known as British ; so that the entomologist who examines 
carefully the mountainous parts of this country, may 
expect to meet with species of Dragon-flies not yet re- 
corded as British. 
Genus Anax. — In this genus the anal angle of the hind wings 
is rounded in both sexes. One British species. 
Tribe II. — The fore and hind wings in this tribe are similar. 
Div. 1. — Antecubital nervures numerous. 
5. Sub-family Oalopterigina contains the larger species of 
the tribe. 
Genus Calopteryx contains two species found in Britain. 
Div. 2. — With two antecubital nervures. 
6. Sub-family Agrionina contains the smaller species of the 
tribe. 
Genus Platycnemis, with one British species, may be known 
by the tibim being dilated. 
Genus Lestes, with five British species. — The tibiie are cylin- 
drical, and the stigma of the wing is large and oblong. 
Plate 6, fig. 1, represents the Lestes sponso.. 
Genus Agrion, with nine British species. — This genus has the 
tibi® cylindrical, and the stigma of the wing is small and 
rhomboidal. 
The wings of the Dragon-flies are nearly equal in size 
and form — a complete and beautiful piece of network, 
which resembles the finestlace, with the meshes between 
filled with a pure, transparent, glossy membrane. Some 
of the genera have wings always expanded, even when 
the creatures are resting, so that they can on being 
disturbed take flight in an instant, there being no 
necessity for them to unfold their wings. These 
insects can fly in all directions without turning — back- 
wards and forwards, and to the right or left, so that 
to those inexperienced in their habits they are very 
difficult of capture. The smaller Dragon-flies are 
equally alert. Specimens are sometimes taken at sea 
at great distances from land ; thus Mr. Davis mentions* 
one which flew on board the vessel in which he sailed 
when she was five hundred miles from land. 
The figure (Plate 6, fig. 2) represents a fine New 
Zealand species of Dragon-fly named Petalura Car- 
rovei. 
The species Calepteryx and the allied Agrions are 
often very beautiful. Here come 
“ The beautiful blue damsel flies 
That fluttered round the jasmine stems, 
Like winged flowers or flying gems.” 
to which the poet Thomas Moore refers. 
Mr. Gosse, when in Alabama, noticed a large dragon- 
fly actually try to get some fish out of a shallow pool. The 
dragon-fly had been hawking to and fro over the brook 
some time ; at length he dashed down into the water 
where a few of the fry were swimming, and made 
quite a little splash, but did not go under. He rose 
again immediately, but without success evidentljq as 
he continued his hawking as before. The fry darted 
away in all directions from the intruder’s attack, of 
course, but soon reassembled and came to the surface 
as before. The dragon-fly, not discouraged by failure, 
presently made another pounce, and now succeeded 
' Entomological Magazine, vol. v., p. 251. 
