28 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
the bottom of stagnant pools, depending on its muddy col- 
ouration for concealment. The third kind live in clean sand 
in running water, and cover themselves by throwing the sand 
up over them with their legs. These larvae have clubbed 
antennae and apparently eat very little food compared to the 
other kind. The stem-dwellers are of two kinds. One kind is 
large and elongated, with huge eyes. These differ in colour. 
If they live on twigs they are black ; but are green when living 
on green stems. They are very voracious and stalk their 
prey, dodging behind the reeds in their efforts to catch them. 
The different species prey on one another to a great extent. 
Those which suffer most in this way, as is always the case in 
Nature lay the greatest quantity of eggs. The second kind of 
larvae in this class is a small slender insect, possessing three 
caudal appendages, supposed by some, to be gills. The ap- 
pendages are full of veins, and are of different colours, pink, 
brown, green and cream. It is very doubtful if these are gills, 
for if they are broken off the insect does not’ die, and the 
appendage appears again at the next moult, but are smaller 
The lecturer was of opinion that it is quite possible that their 
attractive appearance is simply a bait for its foe, so that when 
pursued the enemy may bite it off and permit the Dragonfly 
to escape. After two moults the appendages grow again to 
their full size. 
Prior to the Dragonfly coming out of the water, when it 
is full-fed, it lies dormant at the bottom and becomes a dirty 
brown colour. It next climbs up a stem out of the water 
on to the herbage and waits for its final change. The fore 
legs, eyes and antennae are first drawn out into the thoracic 
space and the skin splits down the back to the wing cases. 
Then the insect rests for a while till the legs are dry, waves 
them about to find something to fix on, and finally with a great 
pull draws out the body, the segments of which, seem to 
lengthen with the pull. The growth of the wings is so rapid 
that it is impossible to follow it. The first half is out in about 
two minutes, and in ten minutes they are fully developed. 
The body develops to its full length in half an hour, is of a 
green colour and the wings are sticky. When there is plenty 
of sunlight the insect hides for a week or so and then comes 
out with its lovely colours, fully formed. 
Mr. Tillyard showed a diagram of the species Nannody- 
themis australis. He pointed out the extraordinary size of 
the eyes which are supposed to have many thousand facets. 
The neuration of the wings is the basis for classification in the 
Neuroptera. The body is composed of ten complete segments, 
the eleventh being aborted into appendages. In the male 
these are used to catch the females when pairing. The 
lecturer showed a collection of Dragonflies to the audience 
at the close of his lecture. 
