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THE ENTOMOLOGIST.
THE DRAGONFLIES OF EPPING FOREST IN 1904.
By F. W. & H. Campion.
Our work during 1904, although prosecuted with unabated
vigour, has added no fresh species to our list, but it has yielded
several interesting variations from the typical forms. The species
taken by us, mentioned in the order in which we made the first
captures, are as follows:—
(1) Pyrrhosoma nymphula.—Our work began on May 1st with
the taking of P. nymphula, immature. This species emerged
earlier and remained on the wing longer than in any previous
year within our experience, for we continued to take single
specimens as late as August 1st. On June 5th we obtained a
male which was resting on a bush, and which was in the act of
preying upon a tiny moth ; we subsequently identified the moth,
so far as its damaged condition left it determinable, as Laspey-
resia (Grapholita) ulicetana.
(2) Agrion puella.—We took this species abundantly between
May 15th and August 7th. A female taken on July 10th ex-
hibited on each of segments three, four, five, and six a pair of
conspicuous light-green markings at the basal end in the middle
line. On the same date we obtained a male with a round black
spot within the curve of the u on the second segment.
(3) Ischnura elegans.—The range of date of our captures of
individuals of the typical form was from June 5th to August 7th.
Between July 3rd and September 4th we took four specimens
of the dark form of the female, of which a detailed account has
already appeared (ante, pp. 252-254).
(4) Enallagma cyathigerum was taken constantly from July
10th to September 4th. On the first-named date we procured
two specimens of the blue form of the female, and another speci-
men was taken on July 17th. The variation from the normal
female consists in the fact that on both thorax and abdomen the
ground colour, instead of being yellow or greyish-green, is blue
—blue as pronounced as that seen in the male. The markings on
the abdomen are black, not bronze. All our specimens were pro-
cured at some ponds near Loughton, and one of them at least was
taken connected per collum with a male. The blue colour fades
away very rapidly, but we have preserved the colour of the latest
specimen to a considerable extent by treatment with methylated
spirit, in the manner recommended by Mr. S. W. Kemp (see
Entom. xxxvi. 34-35). On July 31st We obtained two interesting
mature males, one with the stem of the goblet-shaped marking
on segment two attenuated to a mere thread, and the other with
segments one and two chocolate brown, and with some chocolate
on thorax and between segments three and four.