sept. is v 8 ] Davis: Dragonflies of Staten Island. 195 
three hours old, remove a pellet wedged in tightly between the fork of 
stemapods, and toss it far away with its mouth parts. In so doing it 
moved the extensile part of “ tails ” vigorously up and down. When¬ 
ever a larva large or small had to be removed from breeding cage for 
purposes of noting changes, the stemapods always moved to and fro in 
a very lively manner. It appears that it might 'be to frighten enemies. 
Whenever a larva, while in process of making cocoon, was disturbed, 
especially before completely housed in it, would endeavor to spin it else¬ 
where. Even the change from perpendicular of breeding jar to that of 
horizontal final depository, would cause it to make the attempt. One 
larva left its cocoon and transformed into pupa in an envelope box 
General Observation.— The first molt of larva occurred in from 7 
to rA days. Second molt in 15 days. Third molt in 21 days and 
over. Warm temperature, and moisture seems to facilitate some of the 
stages. Cool weather much retards the time between stage IV, and pu¬ 
pating. One larva commenced to make its cocoon when only twenty- 
six days old, and others when from four to five weeks old. After 
ceasing to feed, the larva rests a day or longer and contracts in size be¬ 
fore the last transformation takes place. A week after second molt the 
color of the dorsal band or diamond patches, changes from chocolate 
brovvn to lilac brown, which in certain lights varies from amethystine to 
purplish tints. Two annual broods occur in Arizona, the pupa of autumn 
brood hibernating. 
--—♦- 
PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE DRAGONFLIES OF 
STATEN ISLAND, WITH NOTES AND 
DATES OF CAPTURE. 
By Wm. T. Davis. 
There are no large, clear ponds on Staten Island like Echo Lake and 
Green Pond in northern New Jersey, and consequently the dragon¬ 
flies that make such bodies of water their home, are not to be found on 
t e Island.. The sub-family Libellulinae, however, seems to be well 
represented and all but two of the species mentioned by Mr. Philip P. 
Calvert in his Catalogue of the Dragonflies of the Vicinity of Phila¬ 
delphia, page 267, are here recorded. 
Thanks are due to Mr. Calvert for identifying species, or passing 
upon identifications already made, and at his suggestion I have in¬ 
dicated, by placing an asterisk before their names, the seven dragon¬ 
flies which are additions to the list of “ The Odonata of New York 
