INSECTS their helpless victims, must admit that the term ' dragonflies ' came as a happy inspiration to the person who first employed it ; since in their relation to their fellow insects these powerful and voracious creatures are well calculated to produce a vivid conception of ' the dragons of the prime.' They are so well known that no description of them and their methods can be needed here. We have some forty British species, of which about three-fourths have been found in the county. Leucorrhinia dubia, Lind., is generally accounted a northern species, but has been reported by the late Mr. Henry Doubleday as occurring, though rarely, on Coopersale Common near Epping. Sympetrum strio/afum, Charp., is abundant in many places about Colchester. It has also been reported from Wanstead and Epping and probably occurs freely throughout the county. S. Jtaveolum, L., is as a rule rare, but has occurred recently at Colchester and St. Osyth, and according to Mr. Doubleday was formerly periodically common about Epping. S. sanguineum, Miill., seems to have a much more restricted range than its commoner relative S. strio/atum, with which it may frequently be found on the coast at St. Osyth and elsewhere. It has also occurred at Epping. S. scotium, Don. 'Epping, about old gravel pits ' (H. Doubleday). Libellula depressa^ L. This handsome insect is one of the earliest to appear, and is generally distributed and usually common, but also very wary and more frequently seen than captured. The variety hageni is much scarcer. L. quadrimaculata, L., appears to occur pretty regularly in many places in Britain, but is a migratory species of which large swarms are occasionally reported. Such a swarm was observed off the Essex coast in June, 1888. In June, 1900, for one day only, many specimens were seen at Wivenhoe, but most contrived to elude capture. Colchester and Epping are other localities for it, and the var. prcenubila has been met with near Clacton-on-Sea. L.fuha, Miill. Very rare, but Doubleday reports it from Ongar Park woods and a single specimen has occurred at Colchester. Cordulia cenea, L., is extremely local, the only records being Cooper- sale Common (Doubleday) and Woodford (Harcourt Bath). Gomphus vu/gatissimus, L., is also very local and is only reported by Mr. Doubleday from High Beech and elsewhere near Epping. Anax imperator, Leach, the largest European dragonfly, is now a rarity in the county, though like several others it seems to have been less uncommon in the Epping district formerly. A single specimen was captured in the High Woods at Colchester several years ago, but no others have since been seen. Erachytron pratense, Miill., is widely distributed but seldom met with ; it has occurred at Colchester, Epping and St. Osyth. Mschna mixfa, Latr., is considered a rare and local insect, but during the past two years has extended its range and appeared in larger 95
