mae eh ede PH EAATYS. i eSrSS veel renee ae’ 4 W wee Aven eee iadagetoll bart ; _ ant Bnet reve Nein eam JH clan. fo te ete hy Notice eve 4 nuepicatetainnate faeuden haa Ah ee et Sy } ary je Tt) Raa ¥ ¥ p Pa ls 1| LAW ne, ve MARE ol Wee UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDIES BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 10: THE COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS LMK., By E. V. Cowpry THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY: PUBLISHED BY THE LIBRARIAN, ror1 University of Toronto Studies COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT Chatrman.: ROBERT ALEXANDER FALCONER, M.A., Litt.D., LL.D., D.D. President of the University PROFESSOR W. J. ALEXANDER, Pu.D. Proressor W. H. Et is, M.A., M.B. Proressor A. KIRSCHMANN, PH.D. PROFESSOR J. J. MACKENZIE, B.A. Proressor R. Ramsay Wricut, M.A., B.Sc., LL.D. Proressor GEORGE M. Wronc, M.A. General Editor: H. H. Lancton, M.A. Librarian of the University THE GOLOUR GHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS LMK. BY E. V. COWDRY, B.A. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introductory Note . Literature . ay es . Material and methods . Behaviour . . Colour changes it ib MACHT SAG chs . The rédle of the eyes and of the central nervous system . The effect of changes in the environment . . The effect of changes in the water, and of light . Discussion . Summary of conclusions Bibliography Ver ae FY 1) ak YANy iA? vi ees fi Wes Jah seg nee Ta te sted cea REY RLF te ate AE Ba A bi Hk in OR AL MANN on hs De Oh | THE COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS LMK. INTRODUCTORY NOTE The work embodied in this paper was done at the Bermuda Biological Station for Research during the summer months of 1909 and 1910. The object was to study the colour changes of the Octopus from the standpoint of animal behaviour. The expenses of the first summer were paid by the University of Toronto. It is a great pleasure to thank Professor E. L. Mark of Harvard University, the director of the Biological Station, for very much kindness and for many extremely valuable suggestions, and also Professor F. W. Carpenter, who was the director in the summer of 1909 and under whom the work was initiated. My thanks are also due to Mr. Louis Mowbray, the director of the Aquarium, who allowed me ready access to the tanks of the Aquarium at all times and helped me in the collection of material. I. LITERATURE The literature on the changes in colour of the Cephalopods has been recently (1906) so very carefully reviewed, in chrono- logical order, by Van Rynberk that it will be quite unneces- sary to go over the same ground in the same way. Mention will simply be made of the condition of our knowledge of the factors operating in the colour changes. The forms in which they appear in the most marked degree and upon which the great majority of the investigations have been made, are classed among the Dibranchiate Cephalopods, chief among which are the Cuttlefish and the Squids of the order Decapoda, and the Octopi of the order Octopoda. It has long been known that alterations in colour result from the movements of the chromatophores. These struc- tures are large pigment-containing cells distributed in the 6 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS superficial layers of the skin over the whole surface of the body. By equal dilation of these cells the pigmented surface is increased and the animal consequently becomes darker in colour; on the other hand by unequal dilation in different regions a great variety of patterns may be produced. Some of these colour changes are very striking, so much so that they have been observed and described by a series of workers extending from Aristotle to the present day. The iridocysts are light-reflecting cells of a yellowish colour dis- tributed like the chromatophores in the dermis; they cause the peculiar iridescent shimmer which is so often observed. The chromatophores consist, first, of a spherical or oval body, which contains coloured pigment, and, secondly, of slender radially arranged processes, which connect the body to the surrounding skin musculature. The chromatophore is generally looked upon as being developed from a single cell; but opinions still differ very widely on this point. The body is, no doubt, multinucleated, for Chun (1901), Steinach (1901), and all the later observers come to this conclusion. Small nuclei are arranged at the bases of the radial processes, about the periphery, and a large central nucleus also has been described. The fine granules of pigment in a single chromatophore are of the same colour, but different chromatophores are often coloured differently. In some species they may be of one colour only, while in others there may be chromatophores of several varieties of colour, such as purple, orange, brown, etc. The wall of the pigment cell is predominantly elastic, and a band of tissue has been observed about the equator in the plane of the radial processes. Steinach (1901a, pp. 8-9), using Hansen’s modi- fication of the Van Gieson method, finds that in a variety of forms this band and the radial processes are stained yellow: he concludes from this that they are muscular in nature. He did not use any other differential connective tissue stains. lofmann (1907a, p. 418) states that this band is formed by the spreading out of the insertion of the radial muscles upon the surface of the chromatophore. Chun (1901, p. 172) believes that the radial processes are formed from the developing chromatophore by the protrusion Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcTOPUS VULGARIS 7 and differentiation of a number of protoplasmic extensions. Steinach found that in preparations stained with cochineal and picrofuchsin these processes exhibited a longitudinal striation, and he figures a nucleus in the wall of the chromato- phore at the base of each. Hofmann (1907<, p. 390), working on Loligo, calls attention to the physiological significance of the abundant interlacing of the radial processes of neighbour- ing chromatophores. The question of the innervation of these structures has been much debated; but it seems that the conclusions arrived at by Hofmann are final, namely, that with his methylene blue method nerve endings may be seen in the radial processes, but not in the wall of the chromatophore itself. He calls attention to the fact that a single nerve innervates a definite, limited group of chromatophores, and that such areas of inner- vation often overlap, so that certain regions may receive nerve twigs from more than one source. He believes, further, that there is in the skin a continuous peripheral nervous net- work for the propagation of impulses. It will be readily seen, therefore, that there is in the skin of Cephalopods a very elaborate mechanism well calculated to produce a great variety of colour changes, which may be sharply defined, or the individual shades may grade insensibly the one into the other. The chief credit of showing that the radial bands are of muscular nature is due to Phisalix (1892) and Steinach (1901). Phisalix (1892, p. 222), working on Sepza officinalis, destroyed the central portion of the chromatophore with a fine needle point and left the periphery intact. She found that, in such cases, the movements of expansion were not interfered with; but that after the destruction of the radial processes only, no dilation was possible. Steinach, in addition to his experi- ments with the Van Gieson stain, brings forward the following arguments in favour of the muscular nature of the radial pro- cesses. (a) There is a difference in the character of the move- ments of the skin and of the chromatophores. (0b) Pulsating chromatophores occur when the skin is in complete rest. (c) The chromatophores are often quiet when the skin is in motion. (d) The arms of Eledone moschata react to electrical stimulation fifteen hours after amputation by skin contraction . 8 CowpRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS and browning; but later by skin contraction only. It is, therefore, generally accepted that the dilation of the chro- matophores results from the contraction of the radial pro- cesses, and that the contraction is due chiefly to the elasticity of their walls. Now that we have dealt with the character of the funda- mental processes involved in the movements of the chromato- phores, it becomes necessary to consider what is known of the causation of these movements. There is no doubt that the chromatophores can move independently of any impulses from the nervous system, either central or peripheral. This is shown by experiments in which the nerves to certain areas have been cut and also in degenerations. In the first instance it can be easily demonstrated that, while section of the pallial nerve, which sends branches to the dorsal surface of the mantle of one side, results in the suppression of all reflex changes in colour of that region, still the chromato- phores react to certain stimuli. In the second place, Phisalix and Steinach have called attention to the fact that an arm kept in sea water appears to have lost all reflex irritability ten to sixteen hours after amputation; but that movements of the chromatophores may be produced for about thirty-four hours later. In connection with this direct stimulation the valuable results of Hofmann and Hertel will be considered in greater detail. Hofmann (1907b, pp. 448-450) observed that an ampu- tated Octopus arm bleaches if it is left in sea water; but if it is exposed to the air and is not allowed to dry it becomes brown. He thought that the bleaching in sea water was due to the deficiency in oxygen and made experiments to prove it. He took a piece of skin, spread it out on a glass plate, and covered a portion of it with a tightly fitting cover-glass. After from fifteen to twenty minutes the skin under the cover- glass was bleached, but the remainder was still dark in colour. He then covered the skin so that the oxygen could diffuse in from the sides and it remained dark. And finally he covered another piece, closely enclosing a bubble of air, beneath which the skin became dark. Hofmann obtained the same results with Sepia and Eledone, and argues that the concentration of CowbDRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcTOoPUS VULGARIS 9 the carbon dioxide in the skin under the bubble and in the surrounding portions is practically the same, and that the bleaching of the skin is caused by the absence of the oxygen only. Hertel, in the same year, made some detailed observations upon the physiological effect of many varieties of light rays upon pigment cells. He experimented with dead Loligos and found that there was an elective action of the blue rays upon the yellow cells and of the yellow rays upon the violet- red cells, and concludes that different cells are adapted to receive light of different wave lengths. Further, in Loligo and Octopus application of ultraviolet rays caused a deepen- ing in colour and movements of flight; while blue and yellow light caused only the change in colour. He argues that since movement follows slowly when ultraviolet rays are applied, particularily to regions devoid-of chromatophores, and since illumination with yellow and blue light of skin possessing chromatophores in the intact animal does not cause any move- ment, it follows that the chromatophores do not play any part in the initiation of the movements. Hertel believes that, in this case, locomotion results from the stimulation of the cutaneous nerves directly by the ultraviolet rays, and that the reflex thus generated .passes through a special reflex arc to the suckers. He therefore considers his most important conclusion to be that the nervous substance can be directly stimulated by ultraviolet rays, but by visible rays through the help of the pigment only. The irregular movements and the streaming of the individual granules of pigment are also minutely described. He used atropine to paralyze the nerves connected with the chromatophores, and concludes further that light stimulates the movements of these cells directly through the medium of the pigment. Victor Bauer (1909, p. 183) sums up our knowledge of the centres which control the movements of the chromatophores very much as follows:—The centres for the play of the chro- matophores seem to lie in the basal portions of the two last cen- tral ganglia. Stimulation of these regions either by section or by heat produces darkening (Phisalix, 1892, p. 216). The tracts for coloration pass through the posterior commissure and the 10 CowprRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcTOPUS VULGARIS subcesophageal ganglia, as has been shown by section experi- ments (Uexkiill, pp. 603-604). Destruction of the pedal ganglion results in the paralysis of the chromatophores of the opposite side. The tracts of the chromatophore nerves ap- parently cross here also (Phisalix, 1892, p. 215). Phisalix postulates, further, special inhibition centres in the supraceso- phageal ganglia, and contends that the bleaching reflex, which consists of a diminution in size of the chromatophores, is sup- pressed by destruction of this part: when only half is des- troyed the reflex is retained on both sides (1892, pp. 98-99). Hofmann (1907b, p. 420) has worked out very carefully and accurately the innervation of the chromatophores and concludes that the evidence for the existence of inhibitory nerves is quite insufficient. Two reflexes have been described by Steinach (1g9o01a, pp. 27-28) in Eledone and Octopus. The first is from the suckers along the centripetal nerves to the coloration centre in the brain, and thence by the efferent nerves to the chromato- phore muscles. He believes that certain colour changes result from the strengthening of the peripheral tonus of the chromatophores by impulses passing through this reflex arc. The second is supposed to explain certain movements of loco- motion which follow light stimulation. This reflex, he believes (1901b, p. 40), passes from the chromatophores to the suckers by purely muscular paths without the intervention of any nervous elements. Hertel (1906) very rightly objects to this idea. There have been very few observations recorded on the effect of alterations in the temperature and the purity of the water upon the colour changes, and none on the results of changes in pressure and salinity. Hofmann’s work, already mentioned, dealt with the effect of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the water and thus indirectly with the question of its purity. Phisalix (1894, p. 93) records an experiment in which she increased the temperature of the water, wherein she had placed a Cuttlefish, so that, in about an hour, it rose twenty- four degrees, and the animal became lighter and lighter in colour until at last it died in extreme pallor. With a dead animal she obtained quite different results, for it became Cowpry: CoLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS It darker when the temperature of the water was raised. Stei- nach (190Ia, p. 23) applied the heated end of a hook-formed dissecting needle to the periphery of the chromatophores and caused them to pulsate. Where he let the point of the needle rest the skin became white; for the muscles were injured by the strong and continuous heating. He found also that continued milder warming paralyzed the radial bands and led to bleaching of the skin. Hofmann (1907), p. 447) writes that in sudden temperature changes, expansion results from warming, retraction from cooling, and that the result of main- taining the same temperature is bleaching in warm water and darkening in cold. Finally, reference must be made to the relation between these colour changes and the habits of the living animals. The idea of protective coloration originated with Aristotle. Fredericq (1878, p. 573), Klemensiewicz (1878), and many others believed that these animals changed colour to corre- spond to their environment. Bauer (1909, p. 187) quotes Klemensiewicz to the effect that the brightness of the back- ground calls for a reflex coloration of the skin, and that section of the optic tract shows that the eyes are the receptors; because after this operation the chromatophores react in no way to alterations in the colour or the brightness of the bottom. This conception of protective coloration has been accept- ed by many travellers who have had just fleeting glimpses of the animals in their natural environments. Charles Darwin observed the habits of some Octopi in the Cape Verde Islands, and writes in his “‘ Voyage of a Naturalist round the World” as follows: “They [the Octopi] seem to vary their tints according to the nature of the ground over which they pass: when in deep water their general shade was brownish purple; but when placed on the land or in shallow water this dark tint changed into one of a yellowish green.” The recent work of Steinach appears to throw some light upon these aileged changes in colour to correspond to the environment. It has already been mentioned that he records a reflex in Eledone from the suckers to the chromatophores 12 COWDRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS by which their tonus is increased and colour changes result. He goes on to say that the function of this reflex mechanism is to give to the animals in their natural surroundings that coloration which renders them least noticeable. If they are attached to smooth bodies, such as the coarse gravel of the sea-bottom, or to the veined, weathered rock of the shore, they assume a flecked or marbled appearance. On the other hand if the animals are on the sand, where the suckers cannot be firmly attached, the flecked coloration is reduced or absent, on account of the reduced tonus: the skin becomes quite light-coloured, speckled, and appears tolerably well adapted in shade to the surface of the sand. These animals take on a uniform inconspicuous grayish brown coloration when the sucker apparatus is inactive, as In swimming and when, under natural conditions, they are subjected to great danger. He adds that in strong sunlight this adaptation, resulting from the changes in the consistency of the bottom, does not obtain, and that light is a second and more potent factor in the colour changes. The question as to whether there is such a thing as warn- ing coloration in the Cephalopods is important. I have been able to find this phenomenon recorded only once; _ for Steinach (1901a, p. 24) writes that Sangiovanni (1823) came to the conclusion that these animals changed their colour to frighten away their enemies. He himself ridicules the idea. Fredericq (1878, pp. 10-12) records the observation that the changes in colour of Octopus vulgaris result from certain emotions, such as anger and fear. On extreme irritation, caused by the insertion of a stick in the mantle cavity, the animal becomes furious and turns dark in colour. Move- ment of the hand across the glass window of the aquarium in the direction of the animal causes the chromatophores about the eye to become active, especially those in the longitudinal axis of the pupil, so that a dark streak appears instantaneously at its two extremities and dilates. Phisalix (1892, p. 218) writes that on irritation these animals generally become quite black; but when they are repeatedly annoyed or under the influence of fear, the dark colour fades and the animal becomes quite pale. She goes on to say that Cowbry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS 13 it is only necessary to place a Sepiola in the presence of a Cuttlefish to see it bleach immediately. Hofmann (19074, p. 388) describes what he calls a terror reflex in Sepia; this consists of a striking local expansion of the chromatophores in a small round area on either side of the median line on the dorsal surface of the mantle, the re- mainder being white. He says that he has often observed this pattern when he put his hand near the animal or cast a shadow upon it. Hofmann also describes a ‘‘Zebrastreifung,”’ characterized by alternate dark and light bands upon the dorsal surface of the animal, as occurring when two Sepias approach each other. And finally Annie Isgrove (1909, pp. 10-12), in a memoir on Eledone, calls attention to certain colour changes which were observed in the Eledone tank of the Plymouth aquarium. She mentions that their general colour while at rest is buff with flecks of cream, and continues as follows: ‘When the animal is excited the skin becomes of a very dark reddish terra-cotta tinge. When Eledone is frightened in any way the skin changes colour, and an intense pallor spreads over it, causing it to become quite ghostly in appearance. At this time the eyes stand out very prominently, because the iris remains dark orange, as does the eyelid surrounding it, and thus an orange patch marks out the eye on a whitened body. However, under normal conditions, this patch does not stand out in any way. At the same time that the pallor is seen the animal tries to escape by rapidly swimming backwards, and attempts to eject ink. Almost immediately the pallor is replaced by an intense darkening or blush of terra-cotta colour over the whole body. If allowed to come to rest now, the colour gradually lightens until the normal condition is reached.”’ From this brief résumé it will be readily seen how incom- plete is our knowledge of the phenomena of colour changes in the Cephalopods. Il. MATERIAL AND METHODS Octopus vulgaris, Lmk., was the only Cephalopod used in this research. It occurs in Bermuda in fairly large numbers, 14 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS and its hardiness and great vitality render it a very suitable animal for experimental work. Normal adults, larve, and experimentally blinded animals were used, but in addition to these, animals were studied in which the nerve supply to certain regions had been cut off. The adults had an expanse of from I to 1.5 metres, and the larve were about I mm. in length. The general proportions of the former are shown in the illustrations. In the male the third arm on the right is hectocotylized. The specimens have been oriented for description in the manner adopted by Hoyle (1886, p. 53). The animal is regarded as being stretched out with the arms pointing in one direction and the apex of the mantle in an opposite one. The tips of the arms are then said to be anterior and the apex of the mantle posterior; while that surface which bears the siphon and the mantle opening is ventral, and the opposite one dorsal. The side of the arms which is turned toward the mouth and is supplied with suckers is termed the inner and the opposite one the outer. The same principle is applied when the two surfaces of the interbrachial membrane or umbrella are referred to. A number of water-colour paintings have been made from the living animals. In order to obtain the correct propor- tions for these, the outlines of Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, were traced from a photograph of an anaesthetized animal. The only alteration was the addition of the siphon which did not appear in the photograph. In the case of the remaining illustrations, Figs. 7 and 8 are free-hand sketches, and Fig. 9 is a representation of the colours used in the experiments on the environment. The observations were made, (a) in the natural environ- ments, (6) in an Octopus car, (c) in the tanks of the aquarium, and (d) in large glass aquaria in the laboratory. The natural environments will be described in detail in the next section. The dimensions of the Octopus car were, 1.8 metres long, 1.2 metres deep, and 1.5 metres in breadth. It consisted of a strong wooden frame lined with galvanized wire of 1.2 cm. mesh. A lid was arranged opening on hinges and in the con- struction as little wood as possible was used. This cage was CowpDRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 15 placed on a sandy bottom near the laboratory so that its bottom was covered by water to a depth of about 75 cm. at low tide, and its top to a depth of about 15 cm. at high tide. Great care was taken throughout the experiments to prevent the animal from seeing the observer, and to preclude any movement or vibration of the car, or any other means of irritation. The tanks used for the Octopi in the aquarium were 1.5 metres long, 1.3 metres broad, and 1.3 metres deep. The bottom and three walls were constructed of flat and fairly smooth plaster; while the fourth side, through which the observations were made, was of glass. The light came in from above, so that the observer was in semidarkness and practically invisible to the animals. The walls were covered with a fairly even, but rather thin coating of dark green algae. The colour of this growth is well represented by sample no. 8 of the colour chart, Fig. 9. The tanks were constantly supplied with fresh sea-water, which was forced in at the bottom. The glass aquaria used in the laboratory were cylindrical and had a capacity of about thirty litres. III. BEHAVIOUR This species of Octopus occurs in Bermuda among the rocks of the shore, upon the reefs, in old wrecks, and in any other sheltered places in depths varying from one to six metres. It is sometimes found in tidal pools and its presence is then detected by the water which it ejects from its siphon when disturbed. Octopi are especially numerous, however, among old pipes and tins in places where refuse is thrown into the sea; and also on reefs which rise up from a bottom covered with Eel grass (Zostera marina), and upon which mussels and scallops are to be found. Each animal occupies a nest which consists of a sheltered place of some description. It is often a cranny in the reef, and may be from one to two metres in extent. On the other hand, the nest may be simply the inside of an old kerosene-tin. These nests are generally rendered very conspicuous by piles of from fifty to a hundred mussel and other shells, which the animals heap up outside of them. Indeed, it may be determined by the freshness of these shells 16 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS whether the nest is inhabited or not. It is not known how long one animal occupies a single nest; but it seems from the size of the heap of shells that it cannot be for longer than a few months, or at most a year. It could not be determined whether they inhabit the nests all the year around or only at certain seasons. There may be a period during which they roam about and have no settled abode. During the months of July and August two Octopi were never found associated in the same nest. The method of locomotion of these animals is very inter- esting. It consists of either crawling or swimming move- ments. The former is brought about chiefly by the con- traction of the extended arms; but in some cases the arms seem actually to push the animal along. When the motion is in a sidelong or backward direction the water ejected from’ the siphon seems to be of assistance. They sometimes scuttle along by using the distal portions of their arms in a very peculiar, almost graceful, tip-toe sort of way, but they may move by using only the proximal portions of their arms, the tips being elevated. The interbrachial membrane serves as a kind of parachute which enables the animal to glide easily from one place to another, or to sink slowly to the bottom. In such cases the arms are often waved in such a way as to suggest that they aid in progression. Swimming is carried out in the characteristic cephalopod manner. Water is powerfully ejected from the siphon and as a result the animal shoots along with the apex of the mantle in advance, and the arms trailing out behind. When they swim for some distance they do so in a jerky way, the accelerated periods corres- ponding to the times when the water is forced out. An Octopus breathing in water by expansion of the mantle is represented in Figures 7 and 8. It is a peculiar fact that the larve, for at least one week after hatching, can swim in either an anterior or a posterior direction. They all died about seven days after hatching so that it could not be de- termined just when the ability to dart in a forward direction was lost; but its loss was probably caused by the great in- crease in the relative size of the arms and of the interbra- chial membrane. Cowbry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 17 In Bermuda, copulation takes place during the months of April and May. It was not observed in the natural environ- ments, but I learn from Mr. Mowbray that in the tanks of the aquarium, the animals pair off, and that the members of the individual pairs do not molest one another. Furthermore, I was told that during this period, the animals maintain, more or less continuously, a uniform dark reddish brown coloration, like that represented in Fig. 3. Eggs were laid about the beginning of July and attached to the walls of the tank, in a corner, in the form of thick, white, gelatinous threads. They may also be laid in the month of October. The female attached herself to the wall, so as to cover the eggs, and from time to time kept the water in circulation about them by the contractions of her mantle. The animal very rarely moves away from the eggs until they are hatched, not even to obtain food. In one instance an Octopus so persistently annoyed one of these females that she deliberate- ly left her nest and killed it. The colour of the animals at this time is light gray and is represented in Fig. 1. The in- ner surface of the arms is sometimes blotched with red. The rate of respiration is about thirty-four times per minute. When the larve begin to escape from the egg-capsules the female becomes very excitable, swims about the tank a good deal, and will dash at one’s hand if it is placed in the water. She pulls down most of the eggs from their point of attach- ment and scatters them about. When the animal rests she always attaches herself to the place where the eggs were originally deposited. The Octopus preys on many animals, but it is particularily fond of crabs and the large Bermuda crayfish. An Octopus will swim after a crab for some distance and capture it by alighting upon it from above with arms extended, or it may creep along stealthily until it comes within striking distance and then make a sudden dash at it. An Octopus was once observed to capture a crab, to see another two or three metres distant, pursue and capture it, still clinging to the first, and so on until four crabs, each about eight centimetres in dia- meter, had been taken, the crabs were then consumed one by one. This is always done in a definite way; the crab is quickly 18 CowpRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS brought near the mouth, the legs are torn away and the flesh of the body is extracted from the ventral side, so that the carapace is left intact. This feeding reaction is seldom inter- rupted; when it is once begun it is almost invariably carried through to the end. The position assumed when feeding is unmistakable. It is characterized by the humping up of the mouth or head region, due to the presence of the victim and also to the fact that the suckers on the proximal portions of the arms are in action, the animal resting chiefly on the distal portions of the arms. It is, therefore, quite easy to tell from a considerable distance whether a certain animal is feeding or not. Mussels, however, are the chief article of food. The Octopus sallies out in search of them and brings them back to its nest. It may make several journeys until fifteen or twenty have been collected. The animal then settles down at the entrance to its nest and begins its feast. It could not be ascertained just how it opens the mussels which have been collected in such numbers, but this is probably accomplished by a continuous pull (through the medium of the suckers) upon the two valves of the shell until the ad- ductor muscle relaxes and finally gives way. This idea is supported by the fact that the shells are seldom broken. The Octopus will not take dead crabs or crayfish; but if it has not had a meal for some time it will even kill and devour other Octopi; neither will it attack a resting crab which it has not, fifteen or twenty seconds previously, seen in motion. This latter statement needs perhaps a little qualification. In such cases the criteria for determining just when the Octopus first noticed the crab were: a certain movement or gathering together of the body of the Octopus; accompanied by a change in colour, characterized by the production of a brown band running longitudinally across one or both eyes (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) and the appearance of a greater or less amount of brown mottling, the whole corresponding in time to a plainly visible movement of the crab. The very interesting question arises as to how the Octopus finds its way back to its hole. This problem seems just as difficult of solution as it is to explain how bees can find their way back to their nest over great stretches of country. It is Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 19 not known how far an Octopus will venture away from its nest, but they were occasionally seen at least fifty metres distant. They certainly go out of sight of their hiding- place and still find their way back again. The question of memory in the Cephalopods is discussed by Uexkiill (1905) and Polimanti (1910) both of whom worked on Eledone. The adult Octopi have very few dangerous enemies, for they can make themselves secure from attacks in their nests and even in the open are well adapted to defend themselves. However, certain large-mouthed fish, such as the Hamlets (Epinephelis striatus) are said by the fishermen to attack them in the open by making sudden dashes at them. With the larve ,which are produced in great numbers, it is different. They are at first free-swimming and it is likely therefore that they would be rapidly devoured by plankton-feeding fish. The adults sometimes eject ink when they are being cap- tured or pursued. They generally throw out the ink when at rest and then attempt to escape under cover of it, but it may be squirted out in several jets when the Octopus is swimming. If the animal is still pursued, after the ink has been once ejected, it may throw out a second or even a third jet. The coloration of the animal is very interesting at this time on account of the belief that both it and the ejection of ink are of use for protection. It is true that in the majority of cases both the animal which throws out the ink and any others in the immediate vicinity settle down, become quiet, and take on a dark reddish brown coloration, which certainly renders them almost invisible in the darkly tinted water. This coloration is represented in Fig. 3 and often persists for five or ten minutes. It must be stated, however, that the ejection of ink is not invariably accompanied by such a darkening in colour. It may be of interest to note that the larve of about I mm. in length, and not more than a week after their escape from the egg-capsules, often ejected ink when irritated. Before this section is concluded brief mention will be made of the method by which the Octopi were captured. The white heap of shells is easily seen against the dark background. If the water is more than a metre deep some common salt, wrapped up loosely in a piece of paper, is placed well within 20 CowprRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS the hole. The salt dissolving in the’ water irritates the Octopus and it comes out and is easily captured in the hands or in a landing-net. Sometimes the administration of the salt has to be repeated before the animal is dislodged. When the entrance to the nest can be reached without diving, the procedure is more simple and rapid. A small quantity of crude commercial formalin is squirted into the hole with a syringe. This invariably brings out the Octopus immediately. Most of the Octopi were taken in one of these two ways; but some were brought in by the fishermen who find them in their fish-pots. IV. CoLour CHANGES It is necessary to mention the structure and the distribu- tion of the chromatophores, and of the cirri, and to discuss the wave play and the pulsation of the chromatophores, before the description of the colour changes is entered upon. There are two kinds of chromatophores in Octopus vulgaris. One is yellow and the other dark reddish brown in colour. These two types are particularly distinct in the young larve, for in them they are distributed quite differently. The former is found on the ventral surface of the mantle, on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the head, and on the outer sides of the arms. There is also a band of about eight chro- matophores on the anterior dorsal lip of the mantle. The latter, the dark reddish brown chromatophores, are seen only on the dorsal surfaces of the body and head, on the ventral surface of the head, and on the outer side of the arms. There are no chromatophores of any kind on the dorsal surface of the mantle. In the adult the reddish brown chromatophores are about 0.1 mm. in diameter; and are slightly larger, more numerous, rounded, and uniform in shape than the yellow cells. The minute anatomy of these structures has already been dis- cussed in Section I. In the living embryos, before they escape from the egg-capsule, and in the larve for at least one week afterwards, the radial processes and a round, clear, highly refractile body in the substance of the chromatophore can be easily distinguished. This round body is probably the Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 21 nucleus. In the adult neither the radial processes nor the round body can be made out. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that, although in these larve the chromatophores are as large as they are in the adult, still there are only about seventy-five of them inasingle animal. As the larve increase in size new chromatophores must be formed until the adult ‘condition is reached. The distribution and the abundance of the chromatophores in the several body regions of the adult Octopus are of the greatest importance. In the neighbourhood of the median line on the dorsal surface of the mantle there are, on an aver- age, about sixty of each variety per sq. mm., although there are none in this region in the larve, while on the ventral aspect the number is reduced to eight or ten per sq. mm. The skin of the head, the iris, and the outer surface of the eye-ball are also richly supplied. On the siphon and at its base thirty- eight or more may be counted in a sq. mm., but there are no chromatophores inside the mantle cavity. .As one passes around the margin of the mantle opening it is seen that the line where the chromatophores disappear is very definite and sharply marked. They are more numerous on the outer surfaces of the first two pairs of arms than they are in the case of the third and especially of the fourth pair. The same applies to the corresponding parts of the interbrachial mem- brane. The inner side of the arms and of the interbrachial membrane presents a peculiar condition, for here the chro- matophores are distributed in patches. These patches vary widely in shape and size and may be separated by as much as 0.1 mm. The reddish brown chromatophores in these areas in the case of the first pair of arms average about one hundred per sq. mm., and the yellow ones only fifty. These numbers decrease continuously as one passes to the second, third, and fourth pairs of arms, and the intervening portions of the interbrachial membrane. The two most striking features in the distribution of the chromatophores are that the relative number of the yellow variety is greatly reduced on the inner surface of the arms; and that both types, in general, are distributed more thickly on the dorsal surface of the body and on the outer sides of the arms than elsewhere. 22 CowprRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS When we remember that these structures are more numerous on the dorsal than they are on the ventral arms we see that the chromatophores are distributed more thickly on those - parts of the body which are exposed to the light, to the attacks of the enemy, and to the eyes of the observer. In the living animals the skin is very loose and is thrown into a number of folds and wrinkles, which become partially straightened out when the different parts of the body are extended. This unevenness of the skin is particularly notice- able on the dorsal surface of the mantle, between the eyes, and on the outer sides of the first two pairs of arms, together with the intervening portion of the interbrachial membrane. These wrinkles appear like fine dark lines and are illustrated in Fig. 5. The cirri are of especial interest because it has been sug- gested that they have a protective function, inasmuch as when elevated they make the animal indistinguishable in irregularity of surface from its surroundings. ‘These struc- tures have a constant and very definite distribution, which is particularly represented in Figs. 5 and 6. The largest ones are found on the dorsal surface of the mantle, between the eyes, and on the outer surfaces of the first two pairs of arms. Smaller elevations may be made out distributed thickly on the sides of the mantle and on the outer surface of the inter- brachial membrane. The shape of the cirri on the mantle is peculiar, for when viewed from the side they present a fairly narrow base which expands into a fan-shaped extremity; but when seen from the front or back they look almost like spikes with a broad base and a pointed apex. When fully extended these structures may be from 1 to 1.5 cm. long. The cirri are only occasionally elevated, and when they are in the retracted condition, they are represented only by a slight puckering of the skin. They are generally coloured in the same way as the surrounding surface. The cirri on one side of the body may be elevated indepen- dently of those on the other side. This is probably an in- stance of the bilateralism which is often apparent in the Octopus. There is a group of three cirri over each eye, which are arranged in longitudinal series, and are represented over Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcTroPUS VULGARIS 23 the left eye in Fig. 6. One or more of these may be very much elevated over one or both eyes without being accom- panied by the extension of any of the others. The causation of the raising up of the cirri is very obscure. They were not observed when the animals were in the act of swimming; neither were cirri raised in regions from which the nerve supply to the skin had been cut off; but it must be said that in this case they were not particularly looked for.. Furthermore, the cirri were elevated in animals from which either one or both eyes had been removed, and it is perhaps worthy of note that the Octopus was always, at the time, of a dark reddish brown coloration. We see, therefore that it is very difficult to discover a simple reflex the excitation of which would bring about the elevation of these structures. Any reflex passing through the eye has been exclided, and the only other reflex path which seems at all possible is one which might pass from the suckers to the erector muscles of the cirri. This possibi- lity is favoured by the fact that cirri were never elevated in an animal swimming freely, when obviously such a reflex could not be functioning. The question now arises as to whether there is any relation between the character, whether rough or smooth, of the bottom and the raising of the cirri. Un- fortunately no special experiments were made to determine this point; but elevation was observed in the tanks of the aquarium, where the walls and the bottom are firm and smooth, and on the wire sides of the Octopus car, where the surface was extremely irregular and afforded a very poor op- portunity for attachment. The elevation seems to be con- trolled by the central nervous system; for when there are several Octopi in the tank, under the same conditions, the cirri are only occasionally raised in some of them. Even if this reflex does exist, it does not bring us very much nearer an understanding of the rdle played by the central nervous system or of why individual cirri over the eye, for instance, are elevated. Another peculiar phenomenon was observed. It consists in an indefinite, indescribable quivering or vibration of the colour pattern, which remains without any other perceptible change. This agitation is not very noticeable and cannot be 24 CowprRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS observed from any distance. It does not seem to begin any- where or to end anywhere; nor is it definitely localizable. It occurs on the dorsal surface of the head and mantle, and on the outer side of the arms and interbrachial membrane; but it was not observed on the inner surface of the arms along the peduncles of the suckers. The changes which take place during such a vibration are obscure. Observation of the skin with a hand lens failed to show any definite changes; but the variations were probably too delicate and too rapid to be detected in this way. When a portion of the skin, out of water, was viewed in an oblique direction the light which was reflected from it did not seem to change in direction at all synchronously with the vibration. It is obvious, therefore, that we are not dealing with a tremor of the skin. Stroking the skin with the finger calls forth these changes in a very marked degree. After a consideration of the literature it seems probable that this strange quivering in the colour pattern is identical with the ‘‘ Wave play” which is so often mentioned. The pulsation of the chromatophores is evidenced by rhythmically occurring flashes of colour in fairly definitely circumscribed regions, and is especially noticeable on the inner surface of the arms, where the chromatophores, as already stated, are distributed in patches. The chromato- phores in one of these patches may be pulsating very vigor- ously, while those in neighbouring areas may be completely at rest. The rate is about twenty-five times a minute; but it seldom lasts aslong as that. It seems to be more rapid out of water. The pulsation was not very evident when the skin on the outer surface of the arms was closely examined; neither could it be made out satisfactorily on the head or mantle. That it may take place on the mantle was shown, however, in an experiment in which one of the nerves to that region was sectioned (vide Section V). The causation of the pulsation of the chromatophores is likewise undetermined. It is certainly due to some peripheral stimulus; for, as already mentioned, it occurs, in an even more marked degree, when the nerve supply has been cut off. It occurs also in regions distal to the point of section of the CowbDRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 25 central nerve of the arm. As in the case of the wave play, so also here stroking of the skin on the under side of the arm with the finger causes pulsation of the chromatophores in some only of the areas touched: here and on the surface of the mantle from which the nerve supply had been cut off we get pulsation resulting from mechanical stimulation. But still we are no nearer an explanation of why, in the normal animal, all the chromatophores in certain patches should pulsate; while those in neighbouring areas, under apparently the same conditions, remain at rest. It is true that the abundant interlacing of the radial processes, as emphasized by Hofmann (1907a, p. 390), may account for the fact that the chromato- phores in any one of these patches always pulsate together as a whole. On the other hand the possible existence of a peri- pheral ganglion and of an individual nervous connection for each area might offer an explanation of the phenomena. We shall now pass to a consideration of the colour patterns themselves. In all of them, as the result of the distribution of the chromatophores, both the outer and the inner surfaces of the dorsal arms are darker in colour than the corresponding portions of the more ventral ones. The same gradation in colour is exhibited in the interbrachial membrane. Further- more, the dorsal surface of the mantle is always darker in colour than the ventral surface. The colours range from those at the red end of the spectrum to the orange and even border on the green; but no purples, blues, or violets are ever seen. In addition to these, shades of gray and brown are very common. The colorations often grade insensibly one into another; but for convenience of description they may be arbitrarily divided into uniform, mottled, and striped phases. 1. Uniform phases—Under this heading four different colorations will be described. They are represented in Figures I, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. In general these color- ations seem to be fundamentally independent of optic reflexes (see Section V), although they may almost all be initiated by them. The first (Fig. 1) is a light shade of gray tinged with brown or even very lightly with green. It is extremely variable in this respect. The colour is often appreciably darker between 26 CowprRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS the eyes and on the dorsal surface of the mantle. The siphon occasionally appears quite brown against the light gray back- ground of the arms, and the peduncles of the suckers are darker than the remainder of the inner surface of the arms and the interbrachial membrane. This coloration is often complicated by the dilation of the chromatophores in some of the patches on the inner surfaces of the arms, resulting in an irregularly distributed red colour, or the location of the cirri may be marked out by brown blotches. This appear- ance generally obtains when the animals are at rest, either at the entrance to their nests, in the tanks of the aquarium or elsewhere. In the tanks of the aquarium they are often attached to the walls by the suckers on the proximal portions of theirarms only. Their eyes are frequently closed and they do not seem to notice the movements of anything near them in the water. The closure of the eyes is brought about by the contraction of the pupil and the rotation of the eye-ball ventrally, accompanied by a partial closure of the eye-lids. This coloration very commonly occurs also when the vitality is reduced by disease or after operation; but it likewise obtains when the animal is swimming freely or crawling actively over the surface of the bottom. Another uniform coloration is represented in Fig. 2. It is a shade of brownish red with a distinct tinge of green about the edges of the outer surface of the interbrachial membrane and between the eyes. The fine black lines marking the folds in the skin are particularly prominent. There is also a sug- gestion of a white blotching on the dorsal surface of the head and mantle and on the outer surface of the arms and inter- brachial membrane. The brown band at either end of each eye-slit, which runs in a longitudinal direction, is very inter- esting and will be discussed subsequently. The under side of the arms and of the umbrella is lighter in colour and even shows an almost orange tint. The peduncles of the suckers are reddish brown. This phase of coloration is often very strikingly modified by a great increase in the brightness and the number of the white spots. These blotches are roughly rounded and are larger and further separated on the head and on the dorsal surface of the mantle than they are at the edges Cl LO I st CowpDRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 27 of the interbrachial membrane, where they are densely crowded together. The whole animal may therefore present a peculiar dappled appearance, which is exceedingly bright and is almost impossible to represent adequately in a painting. This spotted coloration seldom persists for more than five seconds. The original pattern, as represented in Fig. 2, occurs when the Octopus is active, crawling or swimming, or when it is touched by other Octopi, or witha stick. It is not very common. The next coloration, illustrated in Fig. 3, is the simplest of all, for it is quite uniform. | It is one of the few phases of colour mentioned in the literature; for Fredericq, Phisalix, and Annie Isgrove all refer to it (see Section I). The reddish brown colour is considerably lighter in the case of the ventral arms_and of the corresponding portions of the interbrachial membrane. It is also lighter on the ventral surface of the mantle. The iris and the eye-ball share in the dark color- ation. Cirri may or may not be elevated; but a few of them are represented as raised in Fig. 3. Some animals show a decided tendency toward the production of this coloration. It sometimes appears when the Octopus is continually irri- tated, either by being poked with a stick or when annoyed by other animals. It is of common occurrence when the Octopi are feeding. This uniform reddish colour may persist and also appear when the animal is in the act of swimming, or it may flash out for no known reason when the Octopus is at rest. It has already been mentioned that it is fairly constant and that it remains during the greater part of the period of copulation; but the most interesting fact of all is that it often appears immediately after ink has been ejected. The matter is further complicated when we remember that the other animals, in the immediate vicinity, take on the same color- ation, although they have not themselves thrown out the ink. The darkening in colour of the animal, which did not eject the ink, obtains before it is enveloped in the cloud of pigment: indeed before the darkly tinted water even touches it. This points to the conclusion that it is the stimulus caused by the sight of the ink in the water and not the exertion, or the accompanying sensation of throwing it out, which causes this coloration. 28 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS The pattern represented in Fig. 4 can hardly be termed uniform, but still it may be most conveniently considered under this heading. The dark lines which mark out the peduncles of the suckers appear in striking contrast to the brilliant white of the rest of the body. The brown lines along the eye-slits are typical and fairly constant, and the siphon is often of a light brownish shade. The iris is white. The eminences formed by the eye-balls are not at all prominent. This results from the lateral rotation of the eyes and the increased distance between them. The animal sometimes seems to crouch down; but at others it arches its arms over its body and presents their inner surfaces as if to ward off an attack. Phisalix and Annie Isgrove call attention to a bleaching of this sort in Sepiola and Eledone respectively. It occurs when an Octopus first notices the approach of an enemy, such as a large fish, or it may flash out when one ap- proaches it in the water, or touches it with the hand or any- thing else; and it is peculiar in that it does not obtain in totally blinded animals (Section V) whereas the darkening (Fig. 3) does. It is very transient and only obtains for a few seconds. When the Octopus is already dark in colour, it often—especially when the stimulus is not sudden—passes through the dappled phase (vide supra) before taking on this coloration. This colour was never seen when the Octopus was swimming, and it does not occur when the vitality of the animal is lowered for any cause. 2. Mottled phases—The mottled colorations are the most numerous and the most diversified of all the colour patterns exhibited by the Octopus. Some of them are so brilliant and so complicated that all attempts to reproduce them on paper are in vain. They are more dependent than are the uniform colorations upon optic reflexes. Two of the more simple are represented in Figures 5 and 6. In the first (Fig. 5) the ground colouring is light grayish brown, and upon this a number of dark yellowish blotches are superposed. These blotches are slightly irregular in shape and may be confined to certain parts of the animal. In the coloration figured they are restricted to the right side. Their location seems to be constant: that is, they always CowpryY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcroPUS VULGARIS 29 appear in the same places. They are continuous from the outer to the inner surfaces of the arms and they are also found on the outer side of the interbrachial membrane. These patches become smaller and more closely set together as one passes from the base to the extremity of the arms. They are often wedge-shaped and are placed at right angles to the long axis of the arm. The peduncles of the suckers are of a reddish colour. The brown eye-band is shown on the right side, and the iris is white. The occurrence of this colour pattern is an excellent in- stance of the bilateralism which frequently obtains in these colorations, for the mottling often appears only on the same side as the eye with which the animal observes a movement of some sort. The line of division between the coloured and the non-coloured portions is sometimes very sharp. If the exciting stimulus is repeated the coloration may spread to the opposite side and the whole animal may darken considerably, to a shade very much like that represented in the next figure. As a coloration of this sort usually lasts for only a very short time, it is exceedingly difficult to determine the exact location of the blotches; but they seem to appear time after time in exactly the same places. In Fig. 6 the ground colouring is of the same shade, and the blotches are of approximately the same shape and distri- bution. They are more evident on the dorsal arms than they are in the case of the more ventral ones, and they are the same on both sides of the body. There are several irregular white lines and patches on the dorsal surface of the head and mantle, and on the outer side of the arms and the interbrachial mem- brane. These patches are extremely variable in their number and size, and by their increase in both may alter the whole appearance of the coloration, merging into the dappled phase already described. In these regions also a few elevated cirri may be distinguished, which stand out as brown dashes against the lighter colour of the background. The iris on both sides is white and the siphon is light brown in colour. The blotches or the dark reddish brown bands on the arms are, as in the coloration just described, continued round to their inner surfaces. In addition to this, the inner surfaces 30 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcTOPUS VULGARIS of the arms and of the interbrachial membrane present a fine mottling of brown against a light yellowish ground colour. The peduncles of the suckers are of a light steel-gray shade. The exact conditions under which these dark blotched colorations appear are unknown. They are associated with activity, not with rest, and they seldom persist for more than five or at most ten minutes. They appear when the animal is in the act of swimming, but they are even more transient when in this condition. Moreover, these patterns are of fairly common occurrence when the Octopi are devouring their prey. 3. Striped phases—As the mottled patterns are the most variable, so the striped are the most constant. They are more transient than either of the other two types of coloration and are characterized by the suddenness and the abruptness with which they flash out and then disappear again. The stripes are always very definite, occur in precisely the same regions, and throughout show a marked tendency to be controlled by, optic reflexes. Three main types will be described. The first of these is the more circumscribed and perhaps the least noticeable; but it is by no means the least compli- cated. It is illustrated in Figures 2, 4, and 5, and consists of a principal band about 25 mm. long, by 3 to 4 mm. broad, which runs antero-posteriorly and is continuous, on either side of the eye, parallel to the long axis of the pupil: this holds only when the eye is in its usual position and is not rotated. When this area is coloured the chromatophores on the iris, at either extremity of the pupil, and occasionally those along its dorsal margin, are also dilated, so that a similar brown coloration results. It is interesting to note that Fredericq, as far back as 1878, clearly described this stripe and made some notes on its occurrence (see Section I). In addition to this principal stripe, two other smaller areas of coloration may appear, the location of which is indicated on the left side in Fig. 4. They are situated dorsad and mediad of the eye. The posterior one is the larger and the more promi- nent, and is often continuous with the principal stripe ventrally and laterally. It was once observed that the whole of the skin over the orbit became dark in colour; while the CowpDry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 31 remainder of the animal retained its uniform light gray shade. These bands flash out when the animal notices the ap- proach of a fish or any other object in the water. They only appear across the eye which notices the movement. The stimulus does not pass over from one side to the other; but it was noticed that there were varying degrees of reaction. This is shown by the fact that if disturbance is slight or some distance off the coloration is only light; but if it is re- peated or comes nearer, the colour deepens to a very dark brown. Indeed, it is only when the animal is strongly stimulated in this way that the accessory bands appear. The principal band may pulsate and actually vary in intensity in different parts. It may be darker in front of the eye or behind it, or either of these parts may not be coloured at all. The accessory bands never appear when the principal stripe is absent; and of the two, the posterior one is the more promi- nent and may flash out independently of the other. When the animal sees the object with both eyes the coloration appears on both sides of the head. These patterns appear when the Octopi are at rest, crawling about, or swimming vigorously. They apparently exhibit the phenomena of fatigue; for following repeated stimulation, after they have appeared and disappeared several times, there is a period when they do not occur. If the Octopus is now allowed to rest for ten or fifteen minutes and is again stimulated, in the same way, it reacts by coloration as it did in the beginning. These stripes do not occur in animals which are not perfectly healthy and vigorous. As one would expect they do not obtain when the animal is out of water; for the optic reflexes would necessarily be reduced to a minimum. The next coloration, that illustrated in Fig. 7, may be regarded as a modification of the one just described. it is characterized by a dark brown stripe, extending from the distal end of the second arm over the optic prominence to the posterior end of the mantle. It may occur on one or both sides. This stripe is not always of the same extent, but its breadth is fairly constant. This long band is one of the rarest of the colorations, and it is peculiar in that it seems to be of more frequent occur- 32 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS rence when the animals are swimming, although it was once observed to flash out in an Octopus which had just come to rest. Some animals show a strong tendency to exhibit this pattern. It is generally produced when an Octopus, showing the principal stripe (vide supra) across the eye, is pursued while swimming, and it may be regarded as an enlargement and an elongation of this stripe. There is some reason to think that there is a correspondence between the side facing the pursuer and the side upon which this great band appears; but this could not be determined with certainty. If it is true, however, as one would expect, then both bands would appear when the animal sees the enemy with both eyes, and this seems to be the case. Like the smaller stripes, they are transient and fade away in three or four seconds, after the stimulation is withdrawn or when the Octopus comes to rest. They were never observed with animals in the aquarium tanks. The last coloration to be described is the one shown in Fig. 8; it is perhaps the most remarkable and interesting of them all. The general colour of the animal is dark reddish brown, somewhat similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3. This is strikingly modified by the presence of white stripes. The largest of these extends along the dorsal margin of the first arm on the right, takes in a portion of the interbrachial mem- brane, and runs along between the eyes to the posterior end of the mantle. The relative breadth is indicated, but it varies considerably in different cases. In addition, there are two lateral stripes on the dorsal margins of the second and third arms, and on the adjacent parts of the interbrachial membrane, which come to a termination before reaching the head region. It could not be seen whether there was a stripe on the fourth or most ventral arm; but its presence is highly probable. The ventral surface of the mantle presents the same shade of white. Sometimes both the median and the lateral stripes are confined to the interbrachial membrane, so that the arms participate but little in the banding. The dark background is generally the fundamental colour and the white stripes seem to appear secondarily; but ex- ceptions to this rule were observed. _The long median white band occasionally appears when the Octopus is at rest, and is CowpDRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcTOPUS VULGARIS 33 generally the precursor of movement; but the lateral bands do not appear unless the animal is in the act of swimming. The same holds in the case of the white shade of the under surface of the mantle. The lateral stripes disappear almost immediately after the Octopus comes to rest, and the ventral surface of the mantle becomes of the same shade as the rest of the animal. This disappearance may be effected by either a darkening of the areas or a bleaching of the whole Octopus. As in the case of all the other striped colorations, so also here, they seem to result directly from the excitation of a reflex through the eye. This hypothesis is supported by the observation that the lateral bands occur only on the side of the eye by which the Octopus notices the approach of another animal. Sometimes, presumably when the stimulus affected both eyes, the two sides become simultaneously striped. In some animals these changes take place so rapidly that only five minutes’ observation is sufficient to show the occurrence of the long median band, either alone, or accompanied by the lateral stripes on one or both sides. The lateral bands never appear independently of the median band. The matter is complicated by the fact that this coloration is limited to certain animals, which show it with unusual frequency. This tendency of certain individuals to produce time after time a particular colour pattern is very remarkable and seems to indicate the operation of factors of which we know nothing. It is especially liable to occur when the animal in question is disturbed by other Octopi; but it may also be elicited in various other ways. When one Octopus in the tank con- stantly shows this coloration, there seems to be a tendency for some of the others to exhibit it also; for they do not do so when it is removed. The males show it as well as the females; but it occurred in the most marked degree in the case of a young female. It seems to be the same as that mentioned in the literature as a ‘‘Zebrastreifung.’’ Hofmann (1907<, p. 388) writes that in Sepia this ‘‘Zebrastreifung”’ is char- acterized by the alternate occurrence of dark and light bands of colour, and adds that it occurs when two Sepia approach each other. This is the least understood of all the colorations which the Octopus assumes. 34 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS From the preceding description of the colour changes it will be noted that they are extremely variable and complex: indeed it seems that nowhere in the animal kingdom are the colour changes so rapid and so brilliant. When one sees a dark red Octopus on a white background, or striped animals swimming in their natural environments, one cannot help thinking that colour seems almost to have gone to waste. The colour patterns were observed in males and females alike, and they all occurred in a great variety of environments. In the following pages an attempt has been made to explain the causation and the purpose of these colour changes. V. THE ROLE OF THE EYES AND OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM This study was carried on from the operative standpoint. The operations consisted in blindfolding or extirpating one or both eyes, and in sectioning deep and cutaneous nerves. The results are summarized at the end of the section. In all cases, the anaesthetic used was magnesium sulphate, which, although not entirely satisfactory, serves the purpose fairly well. When used it is added, in small quantities at a time, to a dish of water in which an Octopus has been placed; this is kept up until the response to mechanical stimulation ceases. To obtain this result about 500 grams to 2 litres of water are necessary; the amount varying of course with the volume of water used. The solution may be employed repeatedly until the mucus secreted by the animal renders it foul. The colour of the Octopus under this anaesthetic usually becomes light gray, and the respiration slow and shallow. The animal may be kept under the anaesthetic for ten or fifteen minutes if the water in the dish is carefully and continuously aerated. Respiration occasionally ceases entirely and reviving may then be difficult. In such cases the animal was placed in fairly cool sea water (about 25 C.) and periodically, about every two seconds,.some of the water was squirted into the mantle cavity, the mantle being squeezed in the intervals, so that complete artificial respiration was kept up. The Octopi are very hardy and almost invariably recover from the operations. CowpRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 35 Blindfolding was attempted as a means of eliminating optic stimuli. A small piece of opaque oil-cloth was tightly sewn over both eyes so that it was impossible for the animal to see anything; but it is possible that some light leaked in from the sides. When the Octopus had recovered from the anaesthetic it did not respond in any way to movements of objects in its vicinity. If it was placed in the water of a large glass aquarium in a dark room no change in colour from its original light gray coloration occurred when a bright acetylene light was flashed upon it. The Octopus responded to jarring of the aquarium by the production of a brown mottling on the arms. It was found very difficult to keep the animals permanently blindfolded in this way, and it was felt that the results obtained were indefinite and unsatis- factory, and so extirpation of the eyes was resorted to. In the single extirpations a longitudinal incision, parallel to the long axis of the eye, and about 1.5 cm. in length, was made in the skin on the dorsal surface of the optic prominence. Some connective and muscular tissue was then cut through, and the chromatophores on the dorsal surface of the eye-ball were thus laid bare. Slight pressure was then applied to the ventral surface of the eye-ball so that it slipped through the incision on to the dorsal surface of the head. The optic muscles and the optic nerve fibres were cut through, just proximal to the retina, and the eye was removed. Finally the edges of the wound were carefully drawn together by means of one or two stitches. The advantage of this pro- cedure is that neither the optic ganglion nor the optic gland are interfered with, indeed the former is not even seen, and there is practically no loss of blood. Recovery from this operation is very rapid; for in the course of half an hour or so the animals appear quite normal, except of course for the direct results caused by the loss of vision on one side. Neither are there any bad after-effects, as the animals can be kept practically indefinitely in this half-blinded condition. The operation was performed on two Octopi, one of which was killed in a few days and the other kept for two weeks. At the end of this time the animal was quite active and vigorous. 36 Cowpry: CoLOUR CHANGES OF OcropuUS VULGARIS The behaviour of these semi-blind animals does not seem to be modified in any particular, except that they do not react to visual stimuli on the side of the extirpation. In one of them the right eye was removed and in the other the left. The elevation of the cirri is not affected in any way. The animals swim freely, crawl about, pursue and capture crabs and crayfish, and exhibit all the reactions of normal animals. The coloration is little modified. All the uniform colour patterns appeared as in the normal animal; but in the case of the mottled patterns the mottling seemed to appear more readily on the side of the uninjured eye. This was noticed particularly after mechanical stimulation, which, if long continued, however, always resulted in mottling of equal brilliancy on both sides. The colour of the animals while at rest is either light gray or uniformly mottled with brown. It is, however, in the case of the striped colorations that the greatest change is observed. The small brown stripes repre- sented in Figures 2, 4, and 5, appeared only in connection with the uninjured eye. The large longitudinal brown stripes were not observed at all. Neither was the white striping, illustrated in Fig. 8, seen, although one of the animals showed it before the operation. In the case of the double extirpations the operation Was performed in two stages. When one eye had been removed, in the manner indicated above; the animal was revived and after an hour or two the second eye extirpated. No Octopi were ever lost as a result of the operation. It was performed on one male and one female only. Recovery was very rapid, as shown by the fact that the next day when a crab was placed so that the Octopus could feel it, it gathered itself together made a sudden dash at it and captured it. Three fair-sized crabs were taken and devoured in this manner in succession. Both of the Octopi took crabs in this way. The behaviour of these blinded animals was altered com- paratively little. They were generally found resting quietly on the bottom or attached to the sides of the tank, but they sometimes crawled about or swam freely. They remained alive and active, and fed whenever the opportunity offered for about three weeks, when they were killed, so that we Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 37 must credit them with reacting normally to all except optic stimuli. The examination of the colour changes in animals from which all the optic reflexes have been clearly and definitely eliminated affords very valuable resulis. Immediately after the operation, when the animals were stimulated by being gently poked with a rod, the colour darkened from the light uniform gray to the dark greenish brown represented in Fig. 2. This colour soon faded to the original gray. A few hours after the operation the arms of one of the two Octopi took on a brown mottled coloration, intermediate in intensity between those illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, which persisted almost continuously for two days. The body of the animal was slight!y mottled also. After this time neither of the two animals exhibited any mottled or striped colorations of any description. When resting they were of the gray shade repre- sented in Fig. 1, and when irritated they changed to the uniform dark red of Fig. 3. The conclusion is therefore justified that reflexes through the eyes are very important factors in the causation of the striped and also to a less degree of the mottled patterns; but the uniform colorations are not entirely dependent upon them, although, as already mentioned, these uniform colorations may be initiated by visual stimuli. Furthermore, we learn from the single extirpations, that there is a fairly ready diffu- sion of optic stimuli from one side to the other, so that the coloration is little altered by the operation. The behaviour and the colour of both the semi-blind and the totally blind animals have been studied in different environments and will be discussed in the next section. The nerve supply to the chromatophores on the arms was studied and for this purpose two kinds of operations were performed. In the first kind, an incision about 4 cm. in length (i.e. about one third of the circumference of the arm at this level) was made in the skin on the dorsal surface of the second arm of the right side, at right angles to its long axis and oppo- site the twelfth sucker. Everything was cut through down to the circular layer of muscle. The edges of the wound were then drawn together by stitches. Immediately after the 38 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS Octopus had been revived, it turned a uniform red colour, with the exception of a band of skin about 2 mm. wide on either side of the wound, which remained quite white. Sub- sequent observation showed that the arm distal to this point changed colour in precisely the same way as the other arms. In the other kind of operation the large nerve running down the centre of the arm inside the various layers of muscle was sectioned. This was performed in the second arm on the right side and on the left by thrusting in a sharp thin- bladed knife in the median line on the inner surface opposite the twelfth sucker. The result was that there were no colour changes in either of the two arms distal to the point of section, other than those caused by the pulsation of a few isolated patches of chromatophores. Whatever the coloration of the rest of the body these arms retained a bright white appearance. They hung limp and inert, responding to mechanical stimu- lation only by local pulsation of the chromatophores in the regions stimulated. The nature of this pulsation will be described in a subsequent case, where the nerve distributed to one side of the mantle was sectioned. The suckers distal to the point of section did not attach themselves to anything with which they were placed in contact, although those proximal to the cut did. There was both sensory and motor paralysis. Subsequent autopsy showed that the central nerve and artery in each arm had been completely cut across. Therefore all the colorations, except those caused merely by the isolated pulsation of the chromatophores, result from impulses passing from the central nervous system to the periphery. In the case of the arms the impulses to the chro- matophores must pass along the central nerves and then branch out to the skin at right angles. The last experiment of this sort cons sted in sectioning the left pallial nerve, which constitutes the nerve supply to the left half of the mantle. A transverse incision of about 3 cm. in length was made in the skin on the dorsal surface of the head, about 2 cm. behind the optic prominence. The muscular and connective tissues were cut through and separ- ated until a large nerve running in a postero-lateral direction was laid bare. This nerve was sectioned and the edges of the wound were then drawn together by stitches. Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 39 As soon as the Octopus had recovered from the effect of the anaesthetic, it was noticed that the left side of the mantle was quite white and did not change in colour. When the Octopus was poked with a rod the characteristic red coloration appeared over the whole surface, with the exception of the left side of the mantle, which was very sharply and clearly limited at the dorsal and ventral median lines. A few hours later brownish spots, from 0.5 to I cm. in diameter, appeared scattered over this area. After the lapse of ten days, examin- ation showed that this region changed colour in a very peculiar manner. When the animal was at rest and of a light gray shade, the patches pulsated and varied considerably in intensity of coloration. They pulsated in some cases at the rate of twelve times in thirty seconds, and two such spots very close together often flashed out at quite different times. If the Octopus was handled it grew darker in colour, and the spots increased in number. On the left side of the mantle the prick of a pin called forth no motor responses whatever; but when the skin just to the right of the median line was stimulated in this way violent movements of the arms re- sulted. The skin on the left side when scratched with a needle showed a reddish brown streak, which came and went several times in a rhythmical manner. It would be present for about twenty seconds, and then again absent for the same period, and so on. This coloration was limited precisely to the regions stimulated, so that simple patterns, such as crosses and squares, could be reproduced in colour. This experiment confirms the previous one and also furnishes some additional data bearing on the question of the pulsation of the chromatophores, which has already been dis- cussed in Section IV. It is to be noted that the abolition of the colour changes is always accompanied by both sensory and motor paralysis. The most important conclusions to be drawn from these various operations may be summed up as follows. I. Optic reflexes are very important factors in the pro- duction of the striped and also, to a less degree, of the mottled patterns; but the uniform colorations are not wholly depen- dent upon them. 40 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS 2. All the colour changes are brought about by reflexes which pass from the central nervous system along the various nerve trunks to the chromatophores; but simple pulsation of the chromatophores may take place independently of the central nervous system. VI. THE EFFECT OF CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT These experiments were performed with the hope of deter- mining whether the Octopus changes its colour to correspond to that of its environment. There was little evidence of such a phenomenon when the Octopi were observed in their natural haunts, as they were repeatedly. True, they sometimes are very hard to distinguish upon certain backgrounds; but it seems that just as often they presented a coloration which in no way resembled their surroundings. The methods used in the attempt to solve this problem were frequently altered and improved, and so it was not until the very last that anything but purely negative results were obtained. At first the animals were placed in large glass aquariums which were surrounded with differently coloured translucent paper. After a time they always assumed a uniform light gray shade. It was felt, however, that they were under very abnormal conditions and this method was therefore abandoned. In order to experiment under conditions as nearly natural as possible, the Octopus car described in Section II was built. A long series of experiments was then carried out, in which the car with the Octopi in it was placed in different environments, the colour changes being carefully observed. These environ- ments were as follows: (1) a smooth white sandy bottom; (2) a smooth sandy bottom covered with Eel-grass (Zostera marina) so that its general shade was dark greenish gray. In addition to these (3) a glossy black oil cloth and (4) some old gunny sacks were placed under the car giving a black and a dark brown background respectively. The observer was hidden from the animals and great care was always taken to prevent any jarring or movement of the car or any outside disturbance. Under each of these conditions the colour Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 41 changes were noted when the animals were at rest and when irritated, when crawling about, and when swimming, when feeding on crabs or crayfish, and when they noticed the advent of an enemy, such as a large Hamlet (Epinephelis striatus). The Octopi exhibited practically all the colorations described in Section IV; but the results were still purely negative; for no constant relation between the changes and the colour or the brightness of the environment could be determined. Then I read of Steinach’s idea (190Ia, p. 28), that the changes in colour are controlled by the evenness or the con- sistency of the bottom through the medium of the suckers and determined to change my method. Heretofore the animals always rested on the extremely irregular wire bottom of the cage; but in the series of experiments next tried an arti- ficial bottom was arranged inside the cage. The observations were all made on both male and female animals put into the cage separately, both*in direct sunlight and in shadow. The bottoms were as follows:— I. Fine white sand, represented in No. 1 of the colour chart, Fig. 9 (soft white bottom). 2. Large roofing slates, painted white, No. 5 (hard white bottom). 3. Finely powdered hard coal, No. 2 (soft black bottom). 4. Slates painted black, No. 4 (hard black bottom). 5. Slates painted yellow in imitation of the Brain corals (Meandra labyrinthiformis and Meandra cerebrum), which are common on the reefs, No. 9. 6. Slates painted the same shade of red as a sponge which is also of very common occurrence, No. 7. 7. The large green Alga (Ulva latissima), No. 3. Octopi were left on some of these bottoms for as long as three days, and were observed almost continually during the day- light of that period. The coloration exhibited was not modified in any noticeable way by the environments. On each day they showed a great diversity of colour patterns. The brown bands across the eyes appeared when the animal noticed the movement of anything in the water near it; the uniform dark reddish brown colour, when irritated in any way 42 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcroPpUS VULGARIS or following the ejection of ink: moreover, the colour always bleached when the Octopus was touched with the hand or with the end of a stick. It was then noticed that the Octopi always seemed to turn dark in colour when they were returned to the tanks of the aquarium. The colour of the walls of these tanks is dark green and is represented in No. 8 of the colour chart. Another series of experiments was initiated with the object of determin- ing whether a change to correspond to the brightness of the environment takes place when the animal first enters new surroundings. For this purpose half of the bottom of the cage was covered with white slates and the other half with black slates. Slates were also leaned up against the walls. A small Octopus, of a light coloration, was then induced to move from the light environment into the dark, and it was observed that when it came on the black slates, five or ten seconds after, it turned a uniform ,dark reddish brown colour like that illustrated in Fig. 3. When, on the other hand, it moved over from the dark to the light bottom, it became either of a light gray coloration, Fig. 1, or of a light gray shade with a faint brown mottling. The same results were obtained on different days, in sunlight and in shadow, and with a large number of animals, including both males and females. Yellow, red, and brown No. 6, and white slates mottled with irregular brown blotches, about 4 cm. in diameter, were used; and when there was sufficient contrast between the two environments bleaching or darkening always resulted. The change seemed to be dependent upon the brightness of the environment only, and it persisted for ten or fifteen minutes. It may take place as soon as the animal crosses the boundary, or it may be deferred until it comes to rest. The change often occurs when the animal is in the act of swimming, and consequently not in contact with the bottom. It appears simultaneously over the whole surface of the Octopus; but the coloration which results is not always uniform; for it may be either a dark or a light mottling. Furthermore, the change does not always take place. Ina sickly animal or in a fatigued healthy one, there may be no adaptation at all. If a healthy and vigorous Octopus, which has adapted itself to any of the CowprRy: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS 43 bottoms, be poked with a stick or touched with the hand it invariably takes on the light coloration illustrated in Fig. 4; but when repeatedly irritated in any manner the uniform red depicted in Fig. 3 always appears. The same experiments were performed with semi-blind and blind animals. In the case of the former the results were particularly interesting. The change with the brightness of the bottom took place in exactly the same way as with normal animals, with the exception that the manner of the bleaching was modified. It constantly took place two or three seconds later on the side from which the eye had been removed. I[n- deed, at a certain time the halves of the body are very defi- nitely demarcated from each other by their difference in shade. This difference in the rate of bleaching is evident, no matter whether the original colour was of a mottled or of a uniform character. It is a peculiar fact that no difference could be noticed in the rate of darkening on the two sides, and I am unable to formulate any explanation of this. Sudden bleach- ing, particularly in this case, where it is more rapid on the side possessing the most direct and potent optic reflexes, and also the instantaneous production of the ghostly white color- ation of Fig. 4, seem to indicate that the contraction of the chromatophores may be an active process and may not be wholly dependent upon the elasticity of their walls. In the semi-blind animals also, this white coloration and the red phase illustrated in Fig. 3 could be brought about by alarming the animal and irritating it, if such terms may be used, at any time in any of the environments, so that we must conclude that factors such as these are most powerful. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the influence of the physio- * logical condition of the Octopus upon the colour changes. In order to make these experiments complete and con- vincing two totally blind animals were used. They seemed quite healthy and vigorous; for they crawled about the car, occasionally swam freely, and devoured crabs with as great avidity as did normal animals. As one would expect, there was no change in colour of any description when either of the two moved from a dark environment into a light one or vice versa. 44 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS The conclusion is therefore justified that the Octopi do, in a general way, change their shade to correspond to the brightness of the environment. There is not as yet sufficient evidence in support of the belief that these animals become mottled or striped in imitation of the bottom on which they may be resting or over which they may be swimming. As it was impossible, on account of the difficulties of the technique, to experiment with environments of which the colour had been accurately measured and determined, and as it is not even known whether the Octopus can distinguish colours, it could not be ascertained whether the colour of the bottom plays any part in these changes. It is extremely unlikely, however, for the coloration of the habitat of the Octopus is mostly characterized by greens, bright yellows, and even blues, and we know that these are the very colours which the animal cannot exhibit; and also for other reasons. The experiments show, further, that this change in colour depends upon the excitation of a reflex arc, which passes from the retina through the optic nerve to the brain and thence by the different nerves to the chromatophores. In addition to this, the fact that the change may take place when the animal is in the act of swimming, indicates that tactile reflexes, due, for example, to the physical condition of the bottom, can have no influence in the darkening or the bleaching as the case may be. This reflex has been traced through the retina to the brain, and if proof were required that it passed by the various nerves to the chromatophores, this is supplied by the observation that the parts of the animal from which the nerve supply has been cut off do not change, like the rest of the animal, in brightness to correspond to the environment. VII. THE EFFECT OF CHANGES IN THE WATER, AND OF LIGHT Many experiments were performed with a view of deter- mining the effect, if any, of changes in the temperature, the purity, and the salinity of the water upon the colour changes. With small alterations, the results obtained were almost en- tirely negative, and this is what is to be expected when we remember that in the natural environments, on the reefs and CowpRyY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 45 elsewhere, such changes practically do not occur. As, under natural conditions, the colour changes are so vivid and so sudden, the conclusion is warranted that they are in no way governed by changes of this sort. Since the object of this work is to study the colour changes under normal conditions and their relation to the behaviour of the animal, these experi- ments will not be described. It seems that the effect of light upon the colour changes has been exaggerated. Steinach (1901a, p. 28) finds that when the sun shines down through the water the animals (Eledone) become uniformly darker in colour and flee into the shade. I found that when a dozen or more Octopus larvae, contained in a glass bowl, were moved from a shaded place into bright sunlight, they all became active and darker in colour. This was repeated several times; but in the experi- ments with adults on change in environment no constant difference could be observed in sunlight or in shadow, although they were particularily looked for. Furthermore, when sun- light was condensed by means of a lens upon normal animals, dead animals, and totally blinded animals, resting in glass aquaria and protected by Io cm. of water, for periods as long as a minute, no darkening could be observed. VIII. Discussion The position is a peculiar one. At the head of the In- vertebrate phyla we have a class of animals, the Cephalopods, which have existed for millions of years, almost unchanged in their general structural characteristics, and are very highly specialized. We find, further, that the members of the order Octopoda of this class are remarkable in that they exhibit more vivid, complicated, and rapid colour changes than do any other members of the animal kingdom. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that these animals, above all others, should be chosen as objects by means of which to investigate the general and also the more particular ques- tions involved in change of colour. The following discussion will deal with the possibility of the active nature of the diminu- tion in size of the chromatophores; and with the causation, the purpose, and the acquisition of the ability to change colour. 46 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS There is certainly no histological evidence of the existence of nerve fibres which might conduct impulses resulting in the contraction of the chromatophores and the bleaching of the animal; but careful observation of the colour changes in the gross seems to point to some such mechanism. It is hard to believe that the sudden bleaching which occurs when the animal is poked with a stick is purely passive, and results, simply, from the elasticity of the walls of the chromatophores. Simi- larly, the abrupt appearance of the long white stripes, the rest of the animal remaining dark, as illustrated in Fig. 8, is hard to reconcile with this view. Moreover the experiments with half-blind animals demonstrated that both the darkening and the bleaching result from optic stimuli—that is that they are both active processes. Of course the possibility remains that the bleaching may be fundamentally passive and result solely from the inhibition of the impulses passing from the central nervous system to the chromatophores; but if this is the case we should have to assume that in the normal light gray coloration of the resting animal (Fig. 1) the chromato- phores are continually receiving impulses from the brain and that consequently the radial muscles are always in action, for we meet with a still lighter coloration as illustrated in Fig. 4. The difference in the shade of the body and of the outer side of the arms in the resting condition (Fig. 1) and in the frightened state, if we may use that phrase (Fig. 4), is sometimes even greater than is indicated. Furthermore, an animal which has been dead for two or three days seems also to be darker in colour than the condition represented in Fig. 4). The conclusion is therefore justified that, although the anatomical findings seem to show conclusively that the diminution in size of the chromatophores is purely passive and results from the elasticity of their walls, still close obser- vation indicates that this may not be the case. Steinach’s conception of the causation of the ‘colour changes has already been mentioned. He states that, in Eledone, the changes in colour are due to the excitation of a reflex which passes from the suckers along the nerves to the brain and thence by the various nerve fibres to the chromato- phores. When the suckers are attached to a hard firm bottom CowpryY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 47 the chromatophores are supposed to be stimulated and changes in colour to take place. When, on the other hand, the Octo- pus is resting on sand the suckers are not in action and no stimulation of the chromatophores results: so that, as the hard rocky bottoms are in general dark in colour and the sandy bottoms light, there would be a change in brightness to correspond to the environment. Steinach cites two experiments in support of this hypo- thesis. He worked with Eledone and, in the first instance, cut off all the arms and the suckers remaining on the stumps. The result of the operation was that, in the majority of cases, the animal was highly coloured for about two days, in either a mottled or a uniform manner. Subsequently, the animal rested quietly on the bottom of the aquarium and maintained a uniform silvery white shade. In the second experiment one arm and its suckers were left intact, and the animal exhibited the various colour patterns and the spontaneous colour changes without modification. On the basis of such experi- ments he concludes, in addition, that the origin of the colour changes is not central but peripheral. This hypothesis seemed at first sight to explain the pheno- — mena observed in a very satisfactory manner, especially as it did not postulate any very high degree of intelligence on the part of the animal, and as it depended only upon the functioning of a simple reflex. It does not seem to hold, how- ever, in the Octopus, although one would certainly expect it to do so; for the Octopus and Eledone belong to the same family and resemble each other in many ways. If the color- ation, in the absence of direct sunlight, is dependent upon a mechanism of this sort, then one would not look for a modifi- cation of the colour changes when the optic reflexes are eliminated; but in both semi-blind and totally blind animals the patterns are found to be definitely altered. The most important evidence which can be brought against this hypo- thesis is derived from observation of the living animals under natural conditions. Thus, there are often several Octopi in the same tank under identical conditions clinging to the wall; but they all may be coloured differently. An Octopus is often seen attached to the walls of the tank by a few of its 48 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPpUS VULGARIS arms only, the others hanging limp in the water. In such cases, the animal is usually of a light gray shade, but some of its suckers are in action and others are not, and if Steinach’s idea is correct, some at least of the chromatophores ought to be dilated; but they are not. In the open, the Octopi are very often.of a dark red coloration when on a soft sandy bottom, and of a light shade when they are on hard, dark rock. When the animal is swimming out of contact with everything except water, the suckers being unquestionably quiescent, it is frequently coloured in a variety of ways, and, when in this condition, it may even change its colour. It has been suggested that there might be a peripheral reflex mechanism which would be capable of governing the colour changes. This theory is rendered more attractive after a study of Hofmann’s work (1907a), dealing with a continuous nervous network, formed by the branching of ganglion cells, running in the peripheral musculature of Cephalopods; and also when we consider that Hertel (1907) has shown that light rays of different colours have a specific action upon the chromatophores. Such a theory, however, is obviously insufficient to explain the colour changes which have been recorded above in Octopus vulgaris. It has been shown that in animals generally optic reflexes are exceedingly important in-the colour changes and a close parallelism may be traced between the degree of development of the eye and the rapidity and the brilliancy of these changes. In the Octopi and the Squids the eyes are very highly develop- ed and efficient. They are even capable of accommodation, and are much superior to those of many vertebrates. The present experiments, in which one or both eyes were removed, show that there is indeed such an interdependence. The effect of the physiological condition of the Octopus upon the colour changes has already been referred to, particu- larly in Sections V and VI. Thus if an Octopus is irritated or excited it will turn red, or if it is pursued by another animal or poked with a stick its colour will bleach, no matter what bottom it is on. Similarly in the case where an Octopus is pursuing a crab it will often remain of a mottled coloration until it has seized its prey when, in consequence perhaps of Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 49 the excitement, it will darken to the uniform dark reddish brown coloration so often mentioned, quite irrespective of the brightness of the background. When the animals are actively engaged in feeding they often present the same coloration. It has already been stated that this colour is associated with muscular activity. When the vitality of the animal is lowered for any cause, of all the colorations this darkening and to a less extent the bleaching persist the longest. Thus a sickly animal will not change its colour with the brightness of the bottom, but it will darken when it is annoyed and bleach when it is touched. To repeat, the importance of the physiological condition of the animal is illustrated by (1) the fact that the colour changes resulting therefrom (darkening and bleaching) overpower and replace those caused simply by optic reflexes; (2) the persistence of the darkening, and also to a less degree of the bleaching, when the colour changes resulting from optic reflexes, etc., have been eliminated by lowered vitality; and (3) the uniform character of these changes, the animal as a whole reacting, not simply a portion of it. Throughout these experiments a record of each animal was kept, and no difference was found in the coloration of the males and of the females, so it is unlikely that sex is at all an important factor in the colour changes. When we consider the purpose of these phenomena we enter into a discussion which is almost purely speculative. It has been hinted that they are purposeless and of no use to the animal; but I find that such a conclusion is hard to accept; for, although there are many instances of organs which are apparently useless, still such structures are seldom, if ever, of so high a degree of functional activity as are the chromatophores. For this reason we may conclude that the chromatophore-system and the accompanying ability to change colour are of service to the animal, and it becomes necessary to determine, if possible, just what benefits the Octopi derive therefrom. The change with the environment seems to be of direct utility to the animal, but the effect is marred by the over-ruling of the emotions, if such a term may be applied to so lowly an animal. The ejection of ink is undoubtedly protective in that it aids the animal to escape from its foes. 50 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcToPUS VULGARIS It is very doubtful whether the Octopi exhibit any warning colours; but when an Octopus notices the approach or feels the bite of a small fish, it will change colour immediately and the fish will dart away. The colour assumed in such cases is variable; it may be either uniform or mottled. In two cases the colour displayed was very strange; for it con- sisted of an irregular network of dark brown lines and blotches upon a creamy white background. This coloration per- sisted for only a few seconds. The Octopus does not move in such a way as to suggest this motion as the cause of the fish’s alarm, in fact in some cases it does not move at all. The acquisition of the ability to change colours, as we know it in the Octopus, is very difficult to understand, and it seems that, in this respect, we shall remain in the dark un- til very much more detailed and accurate work has been done. A study of the ability to change colours and of the appearance of the various colour patterns in ontogeny might lead to some very interesting results. The question also arises as to what would be the effect of rearing Octopi in coloured and colour- less environments of varying degrees of brightness, and in this connection the work of Gamble (1910), chiefly concerned with the Crustacea, should be mentioned. What is needed above all, however, is an investigation into the psychology of the Octopus. It is evident that the order Octopoda provides a field for this most facinating kind of research. IX. SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS 1. All the colour changes are brought about by impulses which pass from the central nervous system along the differ- ent nerves to the chromatophores; although simple pulsation of the chromatophores may take place independently of the central nervous system (see p. 40). 2. Optic reflexes are very important factors in the pro- duction of the striped, and also, though to a less degree, of the mottled patterns, but the uniform colorations are not wholly dependent upon them (see p. 39). 3. Octopus vulgaris does, in a general way, change its CowDRY: COLOUR CHANGES OF OcroPpUS VULGARIS 51 colour to correspond to the brightness of the bottom, parti- cularly when it enters a new environment (see p. 44). 4. This change in colour depends solely upon the excitation of a reflex arc, which passes from the retina through the optic nerve to the brain and thence by the various nerve trunks to the chromatophores (see p. 44). 5. The physiological condition of the Octopus is the most important factor in the colour changes (see p. 49). BIBLIOGRAPHY Bauer, Victor. 1909. Einfiihrung in die Physiologie der Cephalopoden, mit besonderer Beriicksichtigung der im Mittel- meer haufigen Formen. Mitth. d. Zool. Stat. zu Neapel, Bd. 19, Heft 2, pp. 148-286. Chun, Carl. 1902. Uber die Natur und die Entwicklung der Chromato- phoren bei den Cephalopoden. Verh. Deutsch. Zool. Ges., pp. 162-182. Darwin, Charles. 1845. Voyage of a Naturalist round the World. London, Murray. Fredericq, Léon. 1878. Recherches sur la physiologie du Poulpe commun (Octopus vulgaris). Arch. de Zool. exp. et gén., sér. I, tom. 7, pp. 535-583. Gamble, F. W. 1910. The Relation between Light and Pigment-formation in Crenilabrus and Hippolyte. Quart. Jour. Micr. Sci., London, New series, No. 219, pp. 541-583. Gariaeff, W. 1909. Zur Histologie des centralen Nervensystems der Cephalopoden. I. Subdsophagealganglionmasse von Octopus vulgaris. Zeit. f. wiss. Zool., Bd. 92, pp. 149-187. Girod, Paul. 1883. Recherches sur la peau des céphalopodes. Arch. de Zool. exp. et gén., sér. 2, tom. I, pp. 225-266. 52 Cowpry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS Hertel, E. 1907. Einiges iiber die Bedeutung des Pigmentes fiir die physiologische Wirkung der Lichtstrahlen. Zeit. f. Allg. Physiol., Bd. 6, pp. 43-69. Hofmann, F. B. 1907a.Gibt es in der Musculatur der Mollusken periphere, kontinuierlich leitende Nervennetze bei Abwesen- heit von Ganglionzellen? 1. Untersuchung an Cep- halopoden. Arch. f. d. ges. Physiol., Bd. 118, PP. 375-412. Hofmann, F. B. 1907b.Uber einen peripheren Tonus der Cephalopoden- Chromatophoren und iiber ihre Beeinflussung durch | Gifte. Arch. f.d. ges. Physiol., Bd. 118, pp. 413-451 Hofmann, F. B. 1907c.Histologische Untersuchungen iiber die Innervation der glatten und ihr verwandten Musculatur der Wirbeltiere und Mollusken. Arch. f. mikr. Anat. Bd. 70, pp. 361-413. Hoyle, W. E. 1886. Report on the Cephalopoda collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-1876. Challenger Reports, Vol. XVI, Part XLIV, pp. 1-245. Isgrove, Annie. 1909. Eledone. L.M.B.C. Memoirs. (London: Williams and Norgate.) Klemensiewicz, R. 1878. Beitrage zur Kenntniss des Farbenwechsels der Cephalopoden. Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Bd. 78, math.-naturw. Kl. Abth. 3, pp. 7-50. Phisalix, C. 1892a.Recherches physiologiques sur les chromatophores des céphalopodes. Arch. de Physiol. norm. et path., sér. 5, tom. 4, pp. 209-224. Phisalix, C. 1892b.Structure et développement des chromatophores chez les céphalopodes. Arch. de Physiol. norm. et path., sér. 5, tom. 4, pp. 445-456. Cowpbry: COLOUR CHANGES OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS 53 Phisalix, 'C. 1894. Nouvelles recherches sur les chromatophores des céphalopodes. Centres inhibitoires du mouvement des taches pigmentaires. Arch. de Physiol. norm. et path., sér. 5, tom. 6, pp. 92-100. Polimanti, M. Osv. 1910. Les céphalopodes ont-ils une mémoire? Arch. de Psych., ‘tom. 10, 10.375 pp. 84-87. Pouchet, G. 1876. Des changements de coloration sous l’influence des nerfs. Jour. Anat. et Physiol. norm. et path. tom. I2, pp. I-90. Rynberk, G. van. 1906. Uber den durch Chromatophoren bedingten Far- benwechsel der Tiere (sog. chromatische Haut- funktion). Ergeb. der Physiol., Bd. 5, pp. 347-571. Sangiovanni, M. 1829. Des divers ordres de couleurs des globules cromo- phores chez plusieurs Mollusques céphalopodes; Description de quelques espéces nouvelles, et par- ticuliérement de l’Argonaute. Ann.des Sci. Nat., sér. I, tom. 16, pp. 315-336. Steinach, E. I901a.Studien tiber die Hautfarbung und iiber den Far- benwechsel der Cephalopoden. Arch. f.d._ ges. Physiol., Bd. 87, pp. 1-36. Steinach, E. 1901b.Ueber die locomotorische Function des Lichts bei Cephalopoden. Arch. f.d. ges. Physiol., Bd. 87, pp. 38-41. Uexkiill, Jacob von. 1905. Leitfaden in das Studium der experimentellen Bi- ologie der Wassertiere. (Wiesbaden: J. F. Berg- mann.) PLATE I. UNiv.OF TORONTO STUDIES BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 9. ere Ym a >. 7 é ‘ i 2 bf + + 9 4 \ _ \ ‘ a \ 7 } a ! ” eel — u ; ; : 5 al . » & \ a \ Jt = 2 \ é | \ r, 3 3 2 r q yr a | 3 ; ; 4 q 4 B Meisel lth. Bosto E.V.C. del UNIv.OF TORONTO STUDIES BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 9. PLATE2. E.V.C. del B Meisel lith. Bost UNIV.OF TORONTO STUDIES BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 9. PLATE3, E.V.C. det. B. Meisel lith. Boston UNIV.OF TORONTO STUDIES BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 9. PLATE 4. 1 is: ; “se University of Toronto Studies aX _ COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT | Chairman: Ropert ALEXANDER FALCONER, M.A., Litt.D., LL.D., D.D. a President of the University f PROFESSOR W. J. ALEXANDER, PH.D.— | : Proressor W. H. Ettis, M.A., M.B. oe PROFESSOR A. KIRSCHMANN, PH.D. PRoFEsSOR J. J. MACKENzIE, B.A. - ProFEssor R. Ramsay Wricut, M.A., B.Sc., LL.D. 3 PROFESSOR GEORGE M. Wrone, M.A. ’ General Editor: H. H. Lancton, M.A. Librarian of the University ELECTRONIC VERSION x AVAILABLE all ! NG. ; Ti “ oe University of Toronto Studies Biological Series THE NORTH AMERICAN DRAGONFLIES OF THE GENUS AESHNA 4445 Reh "fh THE NORTH AMERICAN DRAGONFLIES OF THE GENUS AESHNA BY E. M. WALKER, B.A., M.B. LECTURER IN ZOOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY MCMXII . i | Ae | Tate hee eutteth ‘ | t\) Dy a ie : un "ae 2 1 ‘ ¥ si ie ey : ‘ q . mt i } a r ' ‘ ¥ fl / 4G j ii : f b | t " ») iy Vek) 7 io 4 j veya if { $ \ - j ; sd we Wis) 7 , ie ‘ ~ i » } » a . ' i neae Mi ¥ Oe be", 1 Atlas Ax > " SNe ea . vi) aes 5 ‘ 4 he Pa by ) ie i" Te VEO h ays. AAA A a 1s se rhea ae Ue ii ee Ne A ule aioli : ay ane eae aD) PREFATORY NOTE. It gives me great pleasure to state as preface to the present monograph of the North American Dragonflies of the Genus Aeshna, that the cost of the admirable plates illustrating it, which might have proved a difficulty in the way of its being issued by the Committee on University Studies, has been generously met by Sir Edmund Walker, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the University. R. RAMSAY WRIGHT. ‘i, BIOLOGICAL SERIES No. 11. ERRATA. Page 72, line 2, for ‘‘septeatrionnlis” read ‘‘septentrionalis.” Page 99, insert the following paragraphs after the one on Measure- ments : Material determined—8 3 12 2. Nova Scotia: Pictou, Sept. 2, 1889 (Sheraton, Acad. N.S. Phil., 1 9). QUEBEC: Anticosti Island, 1902 (Dr. Joseph Schmidt, Coll. Div. Ent., Ottawa, 1 9). ONTARIO: DeGrassi Point, Lake Simcoe, Sept. 2, 1906 (Walker, 1 2); Temagami Forest Reserve, near Lake Obabika, Sept. 11, 1908 (Walker, 16); Nipigon, Aug. 28, 30, 1907, Aug. 6, 1910 (Walker, 4c’ 6 9). MuicHIGAN: Isle Royale, Aug. 8-16, 1905 (B. F. Savery and C. C. Adams, Coll. Univ. Mich. and Williamson, 3o7 2 9), MANITOBA: Winnipeg, Sept. 9, 1910 (J. B. Wallis, 1 9). Nymphs—Nipigon, Oni., Aug. 5-8, 1g10, 1 @ (St. F); 1 9 exuvia. Page 205, omit fifth reference: 1909. The Insects of New Jersey— Odonata. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NRO) DUCT LONG ic, fs oko ee ee ee CI? | OLR Bre ey oo 1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE: OF) PAPER 0 io. emer a cle Le eae ae 1 SOURCES OF MATERIAL AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................--: 1 RIEED OBSERVATIONS? = ok eat ee ole eae Laos Ae elt Sane en Mens 3 PRE NUA NTE CAS EE NAG re ec) a a teens) A hetomerelli ene Y RP SAWN ee et LS 8 ae mete 3 PREECE NIWS HATES FIN AC ee hte bie A ee a ca atlas | lk oT eR A 4 BIGADRO NOMEN heath a Webek Ase tes Us uate hr AORN Nes oo teat A hein i ea 4 Generic Characters olathe Adulte ec ees he Maa eye 5 Generic charaeters of the Nymph 233 0 )ic 5 «de esas rea: 6 SecondanyeSexuali Characters) \3cte ve mesiecteey st aectere tame nmctey: oY be 6 Characters of Specific Value and Terminology.................. 7 ARAN Ra etry We he A RAP, UMRIENONS 12 SB yet) ab tty a lay ai Culouremabceriniy ss: ook Lu ls Maes aber ai pe Wires alas 8 Genitallianik) oh ee cto e tat ial Mimam Nae unlit AN Riv og idea ae ete 10 (a) Accessory Genitalia of Male...................... 10 (O)rGenttalracof Memales 8). orn eer a ele an eae 12 IVAN ere at eet aro ole yy et ie 2 Witethaehe sasteaties .2 2-4 <4. seen 46 Changes at the ‘Various Bedyres:.”. 32.5.5 es oe ee ue ae 47 Length of Nymphal Eife: )2 40). Jaden as dee eee ee 49 Habitat.of Nymph? 255-4027 9 sb 2 Coed Aes pees 50 Habits-of (Nymiphis . eealane6aeecicine een ee coe fia nee ee 51 Symbiosis of Nymph and Green Alga......................... 53 Emergence of the ‘Iniago 2165, :).2:2).5.. wath ate cia! eee ee 54 THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA...-..-.--::..-... 56 GENERAL ‘CHARACTERISTICS: 3 i tsd 02 oot nein ee ee 56 KEY TO THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA—ADULTS T= Males. ootsc ae reise ences Ae AO EE I]-——-Females)6 6 yes oe SE ce. Sade ee oe 62 KEY TO THE NYMPHS OF NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA:--.------ 66 THE CAERULEA GROUP. | 2005. BPR A eee eee 69 Tae. JUNCEA GROUP «6353.56 22:2 LE SIs Se eee 69 THE CLEPSYDRA GROUP 652) e522 ested ae ee Te ee 69 ‘THE CYANEA GROUP 202125 1200.9, Sots ites au iy 70 ‘THE (CALIFORNICA GROUP 42). i255 Pogo oe oes Oe vel ‘PHe MULTICOLOR: GROUP: 1-5 25455452005 Ce eee tae DESCRIPTIONS ‘OF SPECIES 21s <%2. (5 oie eof = sues aise ences ee oe ee ientetre he ees eee 42 Aeshna caerulea septentrionalis: ).:3) 50. 40 .\0ae 32 AB see 72 Aeshna-sitchensis.: 20 0533s SRE ae eee. oe 77 Weshna’quncea: .'. 2!) dua 6 os. eecaeess aie fe es 2 oe 83 so ©-Subarctica = s.c0 a } a WT meas 0 Wile Gyna canthas (24rephlebia ’ ee B® <= Anaciaeschna SS Plectane Het aak Subaeschna \Cornacantha 5 Tetr thao Gomphaeschna ae a a Teléphlebia Periaeschna Caiiaeschna Hemianax -- Anax . Austroaeschna Epiaeschna Nasiaeschna P ch Aeschnophlebia Fic. 7—Diagram showing the relationships of the genera ot Aeshninae. © It is impossible to arrange these genera satisfactorily in a linear series. The arrangement that appears to me most consistent with the phylogenetic tree is that which is given below.’ -It has the necessary defect that the most primitive 11 have omitted FGrster’s genera Limmnetron, Protoaeschna and Rhionaeschna, as I have seen neither specimens nor figures of any of them. Limnetron evident- ly belongs to the Brachytron series while the other two are apparently members of ‘the “Aeshna series. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA = 25 genera of the two great groups of Aeshna and Brachytron are widely separated from one another, e. g., Basiaeschna and Oplonaeschna from Boyeria, Allopetalia, etc., but similar difficulties are encountered in any other attempt to arrange the genera naturally. The only alternative would be to divide the genera into three main groups, the first compris- ing the primitive genera (those in which Rs is not forked, etc.), the other two containing the specialized members of the Brachytron and Aeshna groups respectively. This method is perhaps the simpler of the two, but is less exact than that which I have adopted. BRACHYTRON GROUP. AESHNA GROUP. Allopetalia Bastaeschna Gomphaeschna Oplonaeschna Boyeria 4; Jagoria Aeshna Aeshna Series Linaeschna Series Coryphaeschna Boyeria Anaciaeschna | Amphiaeschna Telephiebia Gynacantha Caliaeschna Triacanthagyna Brachy- | Periaeschna Platacantha tron } Austroaeschna Cornacantha Series Nasiaeschna Gynacan-} Tetracanthagyna Epiaeschna tha Series | 7eliaeschna Brachytron | Staurophlebia Aeschnophlebia Neuraeschna Subaeschna Anax Hemianax Series { Anax Variations. (1). Climatic variations—On a whole the variations among the individuals of a given species of Aeshna in a given locality are not great. The only striking ones are found in the colour of the females, in which there is a tendency to- wards dimorphism. This subject will be considered later. The abdominal appendages of the female, which are appar- 3 26 WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA ently functionless structures, and the third segment of the abdomen, are also subject to considerable variation, the form- er in length and the latter in depth. The range of variation in these parts in widely distributed species is found, however, to be much greater over the whole area of distribution than in any one locality. A correlation is also noticeable in the variations of these structures. Thus in the females shorten- ing of the abdominal segments, especially segment 3, is ac- companied by deepening of the same segments and a shorten- ing of the appendages. In the males the latter variation does not appear, as the appendages are functional structures and must be of a more or less definite length. It may also be shown that these variations are depend- ent in a great measure upon locality. Thus if we compare specimens of Ae. eremita from the following three localities, Bay of Islands (Newfoundland), Heyden (northern Ontario), and Toronto (southern Ontario), we find that the abdomen of the Newfoundland females is distinctly shorter and deeper than in the Toronto specimens, and the appendages are much shorter, while the Heyden females are about inter- mediate between those from the two other localities. Similar variations occur in the case of Ae. interrupta, canadensis, juncea, palmata and umbrosa, and it may be fur- ther shown that the various species from a given locality resemble one another more or less closely as regards these variable features. Thus in Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands, Aeshna juncea, canadensis, eremtta, and interrupta all have relatively short and deep bodies and the females have short appendages as compared with the same species in Ontario; while the same differences in less degree are observ- able in the specimens of these species from northern On- tario or northern Michigan and southern Ontario respective- ly (except in Ae. juncea which does not occur in southern Ontario). In the case of the widespread and common Ae. umbrosa, specimens from Anticosti, Vancouver Island and New Bridge, Oregon, are very similar in the comparatively short abdomen, which is relatively stout at seg. 3, while in those from Toronto, Bluffton (Ind.), and various localities WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA a7 in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio the abdomen is long and slender, particularly at seg. 3. Specimens from northern Ontario and Manitoba come nearer the latter than the former, though varying somewhat towards those of the first category, especially in the females... Again in the circumpolar Ae. juncea, specimens from the Magdalen Islands (Que:), Alaska and Great Britain are nearly alike in form and are stouter than specimens from Nipigon (Lake Superior), the Bighorn Mountains (Wyoming) and other parts of the interior of North America. The obvious correlation of these variations with locality suggests climatic influence as a factor in their causation, and as the form of the body does not change during adult life we must look for the factor in the environment of the nymph. In an aquatic life like that of the nymph the most im- portant climatic influence is probably that of temperature, although light may also be of some importance. During the winter the nymphs are obviously not influenced much by temperature as they cannot withstand freezing and there- fore must live in water at 0° C. wherever the ponds or streams in which they breed are frozen over throughout the winter; and this is the case throughout nearly all of the territory under consideration. Moreover there is probably no growth of the nymph during the winter as they apparently take no food at this time, at least in the later stages. That the winter temperature has nothing to do with the phenomena in question is also obvious when we compare the mean temperature of winter or of January, the coldest month, in the various localities where the individuals of a given species of Aeshna are similar in form. Thus of Ae. umbrosa specimens from Treesbank, Man., and Toronto, Ont., are nearly identical but differ considerably from Anticosti examples, although the mean January temperature of Anticosti is nearly midway between those of the other two localities: thus, Anticosti (eastern point),11.9° F.; Toronto, 22.9° F; Treesbank (Winni- peg), 2.6° F.? *These and the following temperatures were kindly furnished by Mr. R. F. Stupart, Director of the Meteorological Observatory, Toronto. 28 WALKER: NortTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA But if we compare the mean July temperatures, or better, those of the season of growth from May to September in- clusive, we find a decided correlation between the variations in temperature and those exhibited by the insects, This may be illustrated by the following tables' (1. = length, d. = depth). (See also plate 1.) (1). Aeshna eremita. Mean | No. of | se | = Locality. pee oe (mean) tae ie pede: =e (romp. siege SS) nes a | ie | 7.3 | sha ee an ae ee ee ' 564 5 3 | 8.31 | sai | 3.19 | 6.51 Toronto, Ont. Pe ed Ceska We 8 |} 87 | 24 | 7.75 | e (2). Aeshna Luadence ~~ | Mean Ne, of |, .. > | segs|d> secu meen Locality. | Temp. | Speci- 1 abd, 3 3 cee _|May- -Sep.| mens. (mean) |(mean) a) pied Enteps Magdalen Is. (Temp. Grindstone, Magd. Is.) ao 2 45.5 | 6.92 4.5 4.2 pe ree -|——— | Bs Nipigon, Ont. se > + ae is (Temp. Port Arthur, Ont.) a ; 47.0 7.15 | 4.0 | 4.7 —}—— | _]. ae 2.75 | 5.6 | Ottawa, Ont. | 62.4 | 2 ye 8.00 (3). Aeshna umbrosa. Mean, } Navotl i. fo Locality. _ Temp. | Speci- | lL abd. | I. seg. 3 be seg. 3 |May-Sep.| mens. +o 4 ear AM i aR 48.0 1.33). |. Aa Oe Ellis Bay, Anticosti Id., 49.2 3 8. 5 Av 8.33 Av. 3 Av. (Temp. East Point, Migteosth ) rr 348 0 . 25) 797 29 1.97 Ai. HITLRD, Ee Lt f 50. G: *s — {A Ale Nipigon, Ont. ns f 20 on \ Av. |g nay Av. ay, (Temp. Port Arthur, Ont.) | ang : 51.0 90-75). 9/8 8.96 ied 1.9 Gee - }— = IS bE ose Winnipeg Beach, Man. tee > |ol.y Av. |9.0 ) Av. {1.7) Av. (Temp, Witnipes, Man.) | 27 2 150,550.75 |9.25/9.12|1.9F 1.8 RA AY A 152.0 ; 9.7 ae y ‘ Toronto, Ont. 63.3 3 1.0} AY. 9. a3} gins L, go | Av. 50.07 °° 1.75) \The tables are merely illustrative, my conclusions having been based upon the examination of a much larger series of specimens. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 29 Thus with an increase of the mean summer temperature there is an increase in the length and a decrease in the depth of segment 3, and an increase in the length of the female ap- pendages. Similar but slighter variationsin some of the other abdominal segments posterior to segment 3 are demonstrable insome cases, but segments I and 2 seem to take little or no part in these modifications. 1 am as yet unable to offer any suggestions as to the operation of this factor of temperature in the production of these variations. (2). Colour variation of females—The females of all or nearly all the North American species of Aeshna are very variable in colour but the variations are all in one direction. A certain number of females of each species are coloured like the males in which, with very few exceptions, the abdomen is nearly black, spotted with blue. In a number of other females all the pale markings are yellow or yellowish green and the wings often flavescent. These two types may be known respectively as the homceochromatic and the hetero- chromatic types—terms employed by Calvert (’05) to desig- nate similar colour phases in the females of Ischnura and other Coenagrionine genera. These two colour phases are, however, not sharply marked off from one another, but are connected by intermediate forms. Homceochromatic females are generally less common than the heterochromatic and in- termediate forms, but the proportion varies in different species. In some species, e.g., Ae. canadensis, heterochromatic females are never pure yellow but always greenish; while in others, such as Ae. constricta and californica, the extreme hetero- chromatic examples are yellow-spotted without a trace of green. This tendency to dimorphism is doubtless of the ' same kind as that which occurs in a more perfect form in Ischnura, Anomalagrion, etc. The so-called third form of female, met with in some species of these genera, is probably merely an intermediate between the other two forms. (3). Geographical races—While some species of Aeshna of wide distribution are very uniform over their entire range 3 30 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA of territory, others are more or less distinctly divisible into geographical races or subspecies. The characters which separate these races are altogether different from those whose variability depends on climate and hence also on geographical distribution, but are similar in kind to the specific characters of the genus. The species in which such races are best defined is Ae. interrupta, which ranges from Newfoundland and the northern New England States to Great Slave Lake, and the northwestern coast of British Columbia, and thence southwards to Nevada and New Mexico. It includes three dominant races, interrupta, which inhabit the wooded regions east of the Great Plains; lineata, the characteristic Aeshna of the Canadian prairies, found from the Dakotas to Great Slave Lake; and interna, a moun- tain form, ranging from the southern boundary of Alberta and British Columbia into New Mexico. Lineata and interna intergrade in the southeastern Canadian Rockies; a form appears in northwestern British Columbia extremely like the eastern interrupta but approach- ing also the other two races; in Nevada another occurs (nevadensis), also approaching all three of the other forms, while in the Magdalen Islands, in the extreme east, the species takes on certain features of colour-pattern resemb- ling those ot the western races interna and nevadensts. Ae. umbrosa is likewise divisible into an eastern race umbrosa and a western one, occidentalis, the latter approach- ing Ae. palmata,the characteristic western species of the same group, more closely than does the race umbrosa, while the latter in the Canadian Zone (in northern Ontario) approaches the race occidentalis. Ae. palmata itself varies considerably throughout its range and it would thus appear that the varied — topography of the western half of the continent has reacted on the species of Aeshna as on many others groups of organ- isms with the production of many local races. General Life History. Season of imaginal life—In Canada and the northern United States, the metropolis of the North American species of Aeshna, the imagoes of most species are abroad during a WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 31 the latter part of summer and in early autumn. July, August and September are the months when they are most abundant. Most of the species first appear in July, but Ae. canadensis is generally on the wing before the end of June in the Transition Zone in Ontario, while Ae. californica, multicolor and mutata reach maturity still earlier, the two first named species appearing early in April. Most of the species have nearly disappeared by the beginning of October but Ae. umbrosa, and probably others such as Ae. constricta and Ae. verticalis, may linger on until the middle of the month, disappearing only after severe frost. Length of tmaginal life—As the majority of individuals of a given species in a given locality emerge within a period of about two weeks, the length of the imaginal life would appear to be at least a month, probably considerably longer in most cases. Reared specimens kept in captivity and un- fed live only a few days and do not acquire their mature coloration. Habitat—The imagoes are found, as a rule, most abun- dantly about their breeding grounds, but may often be seen foraging in large numbers more than half a_ mile away from any possible breeding-place. The majority of species breed in still shallow waters, thickly grown up with the smaller species of reeds, sedges, Sparganium, Acorus calamus L., Equisetum fluviatile L., and other plants of simi- lar habit. Open marshes bordering rivers or at the mouths of sluggish streams, shallow reedy lakes, ponds or bays, are favourable localities for most of the species, and during the season of flight the imagoes may be seen foraging over these marshes, generally at a height of two to five feet above the vegetation and following as a rule, no regular course; though they may also be frequently seen flying low and following the water’s edge, darting in and out of the washouts or little recesses between the clumps of reeds and rushes, on the lookout for their prey. Ae. umbrosa is an exception to all the other eastern species that I have observed in the field, in that it frequents small woodland streams and ditches, or small pools on the edges of woods, never being found asso- ciated with the other species in open marshes. The imagoes 32 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA fly up and down such streams or pools keeping, as a rule, near the water, and when the streams are large, close to the margins. Field notes made at Temagami, Ontario, Sept. 14, 1908, on the species of Aeshna observed about a small lake between Lakes Wakimaka and Obabika, Temagami Forest Reserve : This lake is an expansion of the Obabika Creek which connects the two lakes named above, and is broadly margined by an open marsh, behind which is a dense spruce forest. Just below the lake the creek is broad and passes fora short distance through the same kind of open marsh, thence entering the deep woods. On the west side is an area of several acres of marsh in the midst of which is a pond of some 300 square feet in area. It was about this pond and between the pond and the creek that the Aeshne were most abundant. The soil is a soft dark mud into which one would frequently sink to the knees, but, as a rule, owing to the abundant cover of horse-tails and sedge, one could obtain a fairly good footing. Mvoose-tracks were numerous about the margins of the creek and along the edge of the woods. The vegetation of the marsh consisted largely of Zguzsetum fluviatile L. with a few sedges and coarse grasses, and in a few places where the ground was a little higher, Myrica gale L. grew in abundance with tufts of Spiraea salicifolia L., Triadenum virginicum L. and a few grasses. Four species of Aeshna, Ae. eremita, interrupta, canadensis and subarctica, were taken here,and the following additional species of Odonata: Lestes congener, L. disjunctus, Enallagma hageni, Somatochlora williamsoni, Sympetrum scoticum, costiferum, semicinctum and obtrusum. The Aeshne were very abundant but ex- tremely difficult to capture. Ae. interrupta was the most abundant, de. cana- densis coming next. Of Ae. eremita quite a number were seen but only two captured, while of Ae. subarctica only one was taken. They were flying back and forth following no definite course, though many would skirt the margin of the creek for some distance and then fly inwards over the marsh or across to the other side. They seemed to be similarin habits and character of flight. The males, which appeared to be in the great majority, were foraging and seemed to prey entirely upon a species of caddis-fly (Limnephilus indivisa Walk.)' which was very abundant among the horse-tails and sedge of the marsh. The male Aeshne were flying rather low, 3-5 feet from the ground, and were constantly descending within a few inches of the water, making their way for some distance among the horse-tails on the lookout for caddis-flies. Their rustling could be heard at a distance of 6 or 7 yards. When two males came near one another they would dash off together up into the air but generally soon separated and continued their foraging. Shortly after reaching maturity the imagoes may often be found in large numbers at some distance from their breeding-grounds, flying about the borders of woods or in openings in them, along wood-roads, etc. Some species, particularly Ae. canadensis, are especially attracted by open coniferous woods and are fond of settling on the trunks in the sunshine or hanging from twigs. Ae. umbrosa shows a marked preference for more or less shady haunts, while its near ally, Ae. constricta, is most often seen ranging over open fields or bushy pastures. Late in the season they return to their breeding-grounds. 1Determined by Mr. Nathan Banks. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA = 33 Influence of weather conditions — Although generally most active in bright sunny weather the species of Aeshna are influenced to a less degree than most Odonata by con- ditions of light. Most if not all of our species fly readily in dull warm weather and sometimes even during very light rains, while Aeshna umbrosa habitually flies till well after dusk. This habit, which is common among the Aeshninae, has also been observed by Mr. Williamson in the case of Ae. interrupia, eremita and canadensts. According to Mr. C. H. Kennedy, the activity of certain species of Aeshna is decreased in intensely hot weather. In a letter to the writer he says of Ae. californica and multi- color, at Sunnyside, Washington: ‘Both californica and multicolor hang in the shade from the underside of leaves of trees on very hot days (when the thermometer rises to 100° or 105° F.). I have not noticed them resting on days when the temperature was less than 100.° These rests last for a few minutes only but occur at short intervals. It is only at such times that they are easily taken away from the water. One very hot afternoon for a few minutes I caught them, while hanging up, as fast as I could empty my net, and two only fifteen feet from the back door.” In Ontario, where the weather is very rarely as hot as described above, this habit must be attributed to some other cause. Indeed, it is on the warmest days that the Aeshnae are least likely to be seen resting, while in cool bright weather although they fly readily enough, they take very frequent and often prolonged rests, sometimes in the shade, sometimes in sheltered sunny places, the difference here being also probably a question of temperature. On the other hand on hot still days, when the thermometer is at 80° or go°F. they are often very restless and almost ceaselessly on the wing. On July 22, 1910, between 4 and 4.30 p.m. the writer observed Aeshnae flying in considerable numbers at De Grassi Point, Lake Simcoe, among the young bushy trees near the edge of a dense low wood bordering a large area of pasture land. The weather was very hot and still and the sun partly ob- scured by the smoke from forest fires. It was observed that Aeshnae kept in the small open places, a few square yards in 34 WALKER: NortTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA area, which were well shaded by the surrounding trees. Generally speaking each of these small spaces was occupied by not more than a single Aeshna which flew around the space in a more or less regular course at a few feet from the ground, and was not readily frightened by my attempts to capture it, being driven away only when actually touched by the net. A number of specimens were captured, all except a single female Ae. constricta proving to be Ae. canadensis. Similar flights of Aeshnae have on several other occa- sions come to my notice, as shown by the following extract from my note-book: ‘‘On August 28, 1909 (at De Grassi Point, Lake Simcoe), Aeshnae were observed in consider- able numbers flying over the tennis lawn and garden, a few rods from the lake shore. The weather was cloudy but very hot and still and the Aeshnae were for the most part flying within a few feet from the ground, each confining its move- ments to a more or less definitely limited area or beat. There were apparently about fifteen or sixteen individuals flying about the tennis lawn alone and about half that number flying over a small vegetable-garden about 20 square yards in area. The land surrounding the lawn and garden is cover- ed with long grass, tall herbs, numerous bushes and young trees and the Aeshnae were flying here too, but it was notice- able that they preferred the more open places. They were hawking among the multitudes of Chironomidae that were abroad and were often observed to capture them. At 6.30 p.m. they were still numerous, but at 7.00 p.m. only one was seen, flying rather high. The following were captured: Ae. constricia, 32 ¢:; Ae.’ canadensis, 26, 3 9° umbrosa, 1°.” A similar but smaller flight was observed about ten days before this one, about the same time of day, the weather being likewise still and rather warm, although the sky was clearer. As I was without a net only one was captured, a female constricta, but others were recognized as belonging to this species. The first flight of this kind that I remember was on a warm still afternoon in August 1906. The insects were observed at the same locality, about 5 p.m. or a little later and it was estimated that about twenty-five Aeshnae WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA = 35 were flying over the tennis-lawn at one time. A number were captured and all proved to be Ae. constricta. Migrations—Brown (’91) records a migratory swarm of dragonflies in Wisconsin, one of which was captured and determined as Aeshna eremita Scudd. This appears to be the only case on record of a North American species of this genus exhibiting the migratory trait, though Campbell (’85) described a similar swarm of the European Ae. mixta,which he observed flying along the banks of the Gironde in France. They were first noticed about five o’clock in the afternoon, and the swarm lasted from one and a half to one and three- quarters hours. ‘‘ The weather was fine and warm but the sky was clouded and rain had fallen during the day. There was little or no wind.” Seasonal variation in number of individuals—T he number of individuals of some species of Aeshna varies greatly from year to year. The season of 1906 in the vicinity of Lake Simcoe was remarkable for the extraordinary abundance of Ae. constricta and Ae. canadensis, while in 1907 both of these species were comparatively scarce. Since then they have both been common enough, but not remarkably so, until the ‘season of 1911, when very few individuals of either species were observed. Ae. verticalis is also inconstant in numbers, occasionally occurring inabundance. Ae. umbrosa, on the other hand, seems to be more or less common every year, but appar- ently never occurs in excessive numbers as in the case of the other species mentioned. The relative scarcity of individuals during some seasons is not dependent upon the drying up of the waters in which they breed. Ae. umbrosa is the only species that would be at all likely to suffer from this cause, since its nymph often breeds in small pools and ditches, but it is the most constant in point of numbers of all the species whose habits are fami- liar to me. Possibly the irregularity of appearance is de- pendent upon parasites. Food—The food of Aeshna consists of flying insects, generally of small size, especially Chironomidae and other Diptera, caddis-flies, small moths, etc. On Aug. 4, 1910, I observed a male Ae. eremita at Nipigon, Ontario, flying about over a small clearing on the river shore with a grasshopper 36 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA in its jaws. It was watched for three or four minutes, while it flew about the edge of the woods. The grasshopper was of about the size of Camnula pellucida and was probably this species, which positively swarmed on the clearing, to the exclusion of almost all other Orthoptera. I have also observed the nearly allied Basiaeschna janata feeding upon a somewhat teneral specimen of Gomphus spicatus, and in the U.S. National Museum collection there is a female specimen ofNasiaeschna pentacantha which was taken with a worn specimen of Papilio asterias in its clutches. The European Aeshnine Brachytron hafniense has been observed to feed upon Libelluline dragonflies. - A microscopic examination of the stomach contents of a female Ae. canadensis taken while foraging revealed only minute chitinous fragments of small Diptera and possibly of other insects. Enemies—In the adult state Aeshna seems very well able to take care of itself and has but few enemies. The most critical periods of its life are doubtless the time of emer- gence from the nymph and while still teneral; and in the case of females, while they are engaged in oviposition. Tenerals are doubtless often caught in spiders’ webs, but no instance of the kind has come under my notice. On one occasion, however, I found a fully mature female of Aeshna tuberculifera in the web of a spider (Argiope trifasciata Forsk.).1. This was on the banks of the Etobicoke Creek, near Toronto, on Sept. 30, 1908. The web was in the grass on the steep slope of the bank about two feet from the water's edge, and the dragonfly whose thorax was partly eaten had evidently been recently killed as the colours were still fresh. Doubtless tenerals also frequently fall victims to some of the larger insectivorous birds. Mr. R. P. Currie sent me a specimen of Coryphaeschna ingens and the male abdominal appendages of Epiaeschna heros, both from stomachs of the chuck-will’s-widow. The latter species has also been recorded as having been captured by the king-bird (7 yran- nus tyrannus) (Moore, ’0o). * Possibly the most serious enemy of the adult Aeshna ‘Determined by Mr. Nathan Banks. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 37 is the frog, which no doubt destroys many ovipositing fe- males. Mr. C. H. Kennedy suggests that the scarcity of females of some species of Aeshna, notably Ae. umbrosa and Ae. palmata, is due to this cause. In support of this belief he has sent me the following interesting observations on these species, made in the Blue Mountains, Oregon: “Of Ae. umbrosa and Ae. palmata the females were a rarity, males were much more abundant. This was inex- plicable to me until one day I saw a female umbrosa while Ovipositing knocked into the water by a frog. Thestreams and ponds, particularly of the Blue Mountains, are almost swarming with a medium-sized frog. I examined the stom- achs of several but found only grasshoppers and water-bugs. However, I felt certain that the abundance of frogs explained the paucity of female Aeshnas, because in both umbrosa and palmata, while the males are high wide fliers, the females nearly always fly less than a foot above the water and even lower when ovipositing. “The above observations were made in Eagle Valley, - all of which lies in the upper Sonoran and Transition Zones. Later when | collected in Pine Valley, which is a higher val- ley, | had my case against the frogs strengthened. ‘The lower end of Pine Valley lies in the Transition Zone but the upper end is in the Canadian Zone. These frogs are not found in the Canadian Zone. They are peculiar to the sage-brush regions, ceasing abruptly at the lower edge of the timber. Only males of umbrosa were seen in the lower end of Pine Valley, where the Meee were abundant, while females were as abundant as the males up at Carson in the Gy or timber zone, where there were no frogs.”’ [ may add that in Ontario, also, the females of umbrosa are apparently much rarer than the males, though my ex- perience in rearing the nymphs and collecting the exuviae shows that the two sexes enter the adult stage in about equal numbers. In this connection Mr. Kennedy also observes that the males and females of Ae. californica and multicolor in the Yakima Valley, Wash., occur in about equal numbers, and he attributes this fact to the entire absence of frogs in the 38 WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA ponds of this valley: ‘‘There are here a small ground-in- habiting tree frog and a small toad, neither of which resort to the water except for a short time in the spring to breed.”’ Mating habits—Pairing may take place at any time during the season of maturity. Mr. Kennedy has observed Ae. californica in cottu as early as May 8, and I have seen Ae. clepsydra paired at Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay, On- tario, before the end of July, and took a female Ae. canadensis ovipositing at the same locality on July 17, 1907. August and early September are, however, the months in which pair- ing may be most frequently observed. The pairing habits differ somewhat in the different species of Aeshna. Of the common species that I have ob- served, Ae. constricta isconspicuous for its habit of pairing in open bushy places often some distance from water, for its wild nuptial flight and the tenacious grasp in which the male holds the female. When abundant it is very often seen in copula, while I do not recall a single occasion on which I have identified with certainty a pair of the still more abundant Ae. canadensis. Ae. verticalis | have also on several occasions taken paired a long way from its breeding haunts, but its habits appear to be more retiring than those of constricta and unlike the latter species the pairing individuals separate immediately when taken into the hand. Mr. Kennedy writes: ‘‘While in copulation pairs of californica cling to bushes, not indulging as much in wild nuptial flights as multicolor, which species in copulation is not often seen hanging to bushes.’’ It is probable that the highly differentiated male abdominal appendages of con- stricta and multicolor, and the unusually large genitalia of both sexes in constricta, are an adaptation to their active copu- lating habits, in which a firmer union between the two sexes is necessary than in such retiring species as Ae. verticalts and californica, the males of which have comparatively simple abdominal appendages. In most species the males seize the females while ranging over the reeds and rushes which grow in their breeding places. Very frequently the females are picked up while ovipositing. If copulation ensues, the pair usually fly off WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 39 to the nearest trees, often after circling about in the air a few times. As might be expected from the close resemblance of the various species to one another, the uniformity of colour- pattern and unspotted wings, together with the marked dif- ferences in the external genitalia and male abdominal ap- pendages, there is no contest between the males for the fe- males, nor are they apparently able to distinguish the fe- males of their own species from those of other species of the genus. Pairing between different species is probably pre- vented by the mutual inadaptibility of the genitalia of the two SeXes. In the Temagami Forest Reserve, Ontario, the following notes were made on the pairing habits of the species of Aeshna observed there (the locality and date are the same as those quoted on p. 32): ‘‘Now and then a buzzing of wings was heard in the reeds anda pair would emerge, flying off swiftly, sometimes making a bee-line for the neighbouring woods, sometimes circling about at first but always flying eventually to some sheltering bush or tree. “Several times pairs were observed which were not i” coztu, the male simply grasping the head of the female by the abdominal appendages. Some of these Pairs were flying with the bodies of both sexes extended after the manner of the damsel-flies (Coenagrionidae), no attempt at copulation being made. In others the abdomen of the female was seen to curve upward frequently toward the male accessory genitalia but without establishing a connection. ‘*‘While some or all of these partial unions may have taken place between different species, two positive cases of this kind were observed. A male of Ae. subarctica was taken with a female of Ae. canadensis and a male of Ae. interrupta also with a female of canadensis. In the former case no union had been effected when the pair was captured though takenin the net at the same time. It was believed, however,that the male had taken hold of the female by the appendages. In the latter case a connection was apparently established for a few seconds be- tween the genitalia of the female and the accessory genitalia of the male but the pair dropped to the ground and a scuffle ensued, during which they were captured. “‘The only pair zm coztu that was observed at close enough range to permit of recognition of the species was one of Ae. interrupta, which was followed some distance to the bushes at the edge of the wood and then approached very closely, though not captured.” In the first week of August, 1910, the writer observed a number of copulat- ing pairs of Aeshna on the Nipigon River, where six species of the genus are more or less common. Several pairs of eremita and tnterrupta were recognized but nothing of special interest observed except a series of three individuals con- nected in line and consisting apparently of two males and a female, the first male holding the head of the second, which in turn was grasping the head of the female. I also saw two males making frantic efforts to secure a single female, but apparently not attempting to drive each other away. They were flying at a censiderable height and the species was not recognized. Copulatory position—In the paper by Williamson and Calvert, on ‘‘Copulation of Odonata’‘ (Ent. News, XIII, 1906, pp. 143-150) the former writer states that in copulating 40 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA the male Aeshna grasps the female by the head, the inferior appendage resting on the top of the head, the superior appen- dages on the rear of the head. The plate accompanying this paper (pl. VII) is from a photograph of a pair of Ae. umbrosa (referred to constricta) in coitu, and shows the general position of the two sexes in copulation, but the appendages of the male are no longer in contact with the head of the female, nor is the connection between the genitalia of the female and the accessory genitalia of the male exactly as it is in life. I have been fortunate in obtaining two pairs of Ae. constricta and one of Ae. clepsydra in all of which the natural position of the male appendages has been retained, and in one pair of constricta the connection between the genitalia of the two sexes has also been preserved. Both pairs of constricta which were taken at De Grassi Point, Lake Simcoe, Aug. 20 and Sept. 2, 1909, were carried in the hand over a quarter of a mile before the benzine necessary for killing them suddenly could be obtained. The pair photographed (pl. 2, fig. 1) in which the natural position has been preserved in every detail was dried in an envelope over a coal oil lamp after being killed with benzine. The pair of Ae. clepbsydra was taken at Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay, by Mr. W. J. Fraser, who immediately severed the abdomen of the male at the sixth segment, thus leaving the distal portion and the appendages adhering to the female. An examination of the two pairs of constricta shows that Williamson’s statement is correct as far as it goes, but that in addition to the head of the female being grasped by the superior and inferior appendages of the male, the prothorax is held between the two superior appendages, the supero- internal surfaces of the latter being applied to the lateral surfaces of the pronotum (pl. 2, figs. 3 and 4). The preapical spine of the superior appendages fits into the groove or space between the rear of the head and the cardo or basal joint of the maxilla, and the preapical tubercle, on the inner surface rests in a depression just under the lateral margin of the an- terior lobe of the prothorax. In Ae. clepsydra, (figs. 5 and 6) the position issimilar but the prothorax of the female is apparently less firmly grasped by WALKER: NortTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 4I the superior appendages of the male, which are much narrower and simpler in structure than in constricta. The pointed apices occupy the same position as the preapical spine of constricta, with which it is homologous. Probably the slightly elevated and denticulate apical portion of the superior car- ina corresponds in position to the tubercle in constricta, but this cannot be determined from the specimen. The relative positions occupied by the accessory geni- talia of the male and the genitalia of the female in Ae. con- stricta are shown in plate 2, fig. 2. The ovipositor (Ov) is unsheathed from the genital valves (GV) and lies for the most part in the genital fossa of the male (ventral side of seg. 2). In its basal half it is grasped by the posterior hamuli (PH) and from its position and relation to the anterior hamuli (AH) it must pass through the channel formed by the concavities of the hamular processes and folds, the two an- terior hamuli thus forming a pair of claspers. The two parts of the anterior lamina are closely applied to the ventral surfaces of the genital valves and are turned somewhat in- wards, the tips of the two spines (Sp) lying close to the con- cave margin of the ovipositor and possibly braced against the sides in life. The appendages of the female and the styli apparently take no part in copulation. Comparison of copulatory position with that of other Odonata—Aeshna is the only genus of Anisoptera, so far as known, the male of which grasps the prothorax of the female during copulation, although many, if not all, of the other Aeshnine genera doubtless resemble Aeshna in this respect. In many of the Zygoptera, as Williamson has shown, the anterior surface of the hind lobe of the prothorax is grasped by the inferior appendages, but there is nothing comparable in the mechanism to that which obtains in Aeshna. Of the other subfamilies of Anisoptera, the head alone of the female is grasped by the male appendages in the Gomphinae and Libellulinae. I have a pair of Gomphus spicatus taken at Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay, in July, 1907, which well illustrates the method in the former group. This pair which was resting on the ground was captured by carefully placing the mouth 4 42 WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA of a large net over it. The position was observed and the pair was partially anaesthetized with chloroform and then placed in a cyanide bottle. Unfortunately in carrying them they came apart but the appendages of the male were easily replaced, for the large ventral tooth on each superior appen- dage had made a deep depression on the rear of the head of the female. It will be seen from the figure of this specimen (pl.2, fig. 7) thatthe superior appendages have no connection with the pronotum. The occiput of the female is held be- tween the two pairs of appendages at their bases, while the curved apices on the forked inferior appendage are applied to the head between the frons and the frontal vesicle. It will be noticed that in the Gomphinae and Libel- lulinae the upper surface of the superior appendages is smooth and rounded while the under surface is commonly provided with toothlike projections or denticles, while in the Aeshninae it is the upper (supero-internal) surface which shows the great- er amount of structural differentiation. In the Cordule- gasterinae, the general form of the male appendages resembles that of the Gomphinae and the superior pair probably also rests upon the rear of the head of the female during copulation. The nearest approach to the Aeshnine method of clasp- ing thus far known is that of Petalura gigantea which has been described by Tillyard (’09). In this species the supero- internal surface of the superior appendages of the male were applied to the shoulders of the female, while the inferior ap- pendage is pressed down upon the occiput. Oviposition—Females begin to oviposit soon after be- coming fully mature and apparently continue to do so from time to time throughout the rest of their life. I have found Ae. canadensis, a species which does not often appear before the last week of June, ovipositing at Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay on July 17, 1907, and I have found the same species ovi- positing at the end of August. Ovipositing females are most frequentiy seen in August and early September. I have watched the process of oviposition at close range in the case of two species of Aeshna, Ae. eremita and Ae. constricta. The former was observed in a small reedy bay on the Nipigon River on Aug. 5, 1910. The insect when first WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 43 seen was clinging to the blade of a bur-reed (Sparganium) close to the surface of the water with about half the abdomen immersed (pl. 3, fig.1). She was watched for about five minutes at the end of which she suddenly flew away. During this time the end of the abdomen was thrust against the stem every two or three seconds and was gradually lowered until wholly under water. Soon after this depth was reached she flew away. I then examined the reed and found the punctures made by the ovipositor arranged as shown on pl. 3, fig. 2. They were confined to the two narrow surfaces of the three-cornered reed and the great majority were on one surface. The upper- most were found about 1.5 cm. above the surface of the water, the lowermost about 4 cm. beneath the surface. It will be seen that they are not arranged in a double row as de- scribed by Needham (’o1) for Basiaeschna janata, but tend to be grouped in oblique rows, although the arrangement is by no means regular. A few eggs lying near the edge of the reed were exposed by carefully picking away the tissues on one side of them. They were found to lie a little beneath the surface and very obliquely placed, occupying more nearly a vertical than a horizontal position (fig.3). The pointed an- terior ends were in all cases outermost. On the following day another ovipositing female of the same species was observed at still closer range, in fact I was almost directly above the insect while watching her. She was supported on a collection of dead floating reeds among a thick growth of living ones and was thrusting the ovipositor, seemingly at random, into any piece of reed within reach. She did not remain more than a minute or so, but the lever-like thrusts of the ovipositor could be seen dis- tinctly when the abdomen was turned sideways. In making these thrusts the terminal abdominal segment served as the fulcrum (fig. 1). Many other individuals were seen ovipositing in the same way in both living and dead floating reeds and it ap- peared that in the latter case the thrusts of the insect were always irregular, as though the insect were not satisfied with the site for her operations. 44 WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA In the case of Aeshna constricta,which I observed ovi- positing only once, though at close quarters, the female was seen to alight upon a sweet-flag (Acorus calamus L.) growing at the edge of a broad sluggish creek near De Grassi Point, Lake Simcoe, Although about two and one-half feet above the water she at once began to oviposit, curving her abdomen and using her large ovipositor apparently in the same way as Ae. eremita but spending a longer time, four or five seconds, over the deposition of each egg. Instead of lowering the abdomen during the operation, she gradually climbed upwards and seemed little disturbed by the very strong breeze that was blowing. When she had climbed about six inches and was not far from the end of the flag she flew away. On first examining the seat of her operations I could find nothing to show that she had been there, but on a closer inspection longitudinal slits in the epidermis were found along the whole path of the operations. These were each a few millimetres long, the length varying considerably, and arranged somewhat irregularly in two rows (pl. 3, fig.5). An egg was placed longitudinally under each incision, the an- terior end upward. They lay rather loosely in the slit in the parenchyma. The flag was taken home and the lower end placed in a jar of water but it gradually withered and the eggs did not hatch that season and were finally destroyed by an accident. Although the slits did not open with the drying of the flag it is probable that they do so under natural conditions and thus allow the eggs to drop into the water before hatching. The unusually large size of the ovipositor in Ae. constricta seems to be related to the practice of making elongate in- cisions instead of mere punctures in the tissues of the plants. This method of ovipositing high above the surface of the water is unique as far as I know among the Anisoptera but has been described by Needham (’00) in the case of the Zy- gopterous species, Lestes unguiculatus, and L. uncatus. A number of other species of Aeshna were also seen ovipositing, viz., Ae. juncea, subarctica, interrupta, canadensis and wmbrosa, and the process was in general the same as that WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 45 of Ae. ervemita, as nearly as could be judged, but although reeds or reed-like plants are usually chosen by the female for this purpose it is no invariable rule. Thus Ae. canadensis usually oviposits in the ordinary way in aquatic plants but I have seen it at Grenadier Pond, Toronto, performing this function on the side of an alga-covered log, just below the water-line. The eggs were apparently distributed quite ir- regularly. I have also observed the same species apparently utilizing for this purpose the fine wet sand on the shore of Obabika Lake, near the mouth of Obabika Creek, Temagami District, Ontario. There is a stretch of open marsh here covered largely with Equisetum and coarse sedges, which, earlier in the season had evidently been under water for some distance back from the shore and the sand, especially within a few yards of the water’s edge, was beaten hard by the waves. It was this fine wet sand some yards back from the water-line into which the dragonfly was thrusting her ab- domen, as though in the act of ovipositing. A similar act was also observed in the case of Ae. um- brosa, a female of which was observed ovipositing in the mud of a partly dried up bed of a short creek connecting Lakes Temagami and Obabika. Although pools of water were near at hand the insect chose the wet mud of the stream- bed, clinging to the base of a sedge-stalk and thrusting the end of the abdomen into the mud in the direction of the stem and moving it irregularly to right and left but apparently not touching the stem with the ovipositor. While the fe- male was thus engaged, a male swooped down upon her and the pair were thus captured. Miss Wadsworth sent me a female of this species which she observed ovipositing on the nearly dead trunk of an alder shrub in the middle of a stream. She observed the insect light on the trunk and ‘‘press the eggs into the wet bark of the alder. Some were placed about half an inch from the water line and from there down to the water line, and a very few just below. A male soon came to her and as they flew I got the net over both but the male escaped.” Sometimes a female Aeshna may be seen tapping the apices of the genital valves against a rock or other hard 46 WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA substance, apparently adjusting their position in relation to the ovipositor. I have observed this performance in the case of two species, Ae. umbrosa and Ae. eremita. While ovipositing the female Aeshna is never accom- panied by the male as sometimes occurs in the case of Anax junius. The egg—The eggs of Aeshna (pl.3, figs. 4 and 6) are elongate, smooth, cylindrical, rounded at the posterior and pointed at the anterior end. They are pale yellow when first deposited but may darken considerably before the nymph is hatched (Ae. eremita). The size and exact form of the ma- ture egg varies according to the species, e.g., in Ae. eremtta they are 1.7-1.8 mm. long and about five times as long as broad; in Ae. constricta they are about the same size and general form but aresomewhat less acute at the anterior end; in Ae. canadensis they are about 1.6-1.66 mm. long, and slightly more acute than in eremita; while in Ae. sitchensis the length is only about 1.1 mm., the breadth proportionately somewhat greater than in the other species, and the anterior ends but little pointed. The ovaries of a female Ae. umbrosa, taken at Lake Simcoe on Aug. 29, 1909, were found to contain 839 eggs, nearly all of which were full-grown. Probable number of nymphal stages—With a sufficiency of material it is not a difficult matter to determine the number of stages in the nymphal life after the wing-buds have begun to appear, as with each ecdysis there is a very definite in- crease in the relative size of these organs. Of the stages preceding the first appearance of the wing-buds I have no knowledge. The material I have obtained by collecting nymphs of Aeshna canadensis and Ae. umbrosa is sufficient for the de- termination of the number of ecdyses that the nymph goes through after attaining a length of about 1 cm. The results thus obtained were partially confirmed by rearing nymphs of various sizes through several ecdyses and comparing the exuviae with the collected material. Nymphs of various sizes of Ae. eremita, interrupta, juncea, californica and mul- WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 47 ticolor, as well as the two species previously mentioned can in all cases be referred to a particular stage. The earliest stage represented in the material at hand is a nymph of Ae. canadensis, measuring 10.5 mm. in length. The wing-cases are barely indicated by a pair of minute buds and the antennz are five-jointed. Beginning with this stage the nymph apparently moults eight times before emerging as the adult insect, there being eight instars including the full- grown nymph. Judging by the size of the egg and the rel- ative sizes of the known instars it appears probable that there are three or four ecdyses in addition to those observed, making a probable total of twelve or thirteen stages. This would make the number about the same as in the Agrionidae, according to Balfour-Browne (’09), who found 10-14 stages in various British species, the number varying considerably among individuals of the same species. It is possible that the number varies also in Aeshna but I am inclined to be- lieve that the number of stages in a given species is constant. Changes at the various ecdyses—As | have not been able to determine the number of stages with certainty I have desig- nated the various known ones as A, B, C,..H, stage H being the mature nymph. Owing to lack of material in the earlier stages I shall not describe in detail the changes which appear in the nymph at each ecdysis. I shall do little more than indicate some of the external characters by which each in- star may be recognized. The younger instars among those represented in the material at hand differ from the mature nymph chiefly in the somewhat greater relative size of the eyes, which are less prolonged mesad, the smoother surface of the interocular region, the relative lengths of the antennal segments, the shorter and somewhat narrower thorax, and, of course, the smaller genitalia and shorter wing-cases, when these are present. The colour changes also with the growth, the younger instars being darker than the older ones. In- stars A and B of Ae. canadensis and umbrosa, C, D and some- times E of Ae. constricta are nearly black, except for a short time after each month, but in the succeeding stages the colours of the full-grown nymph are rapidly assumed. Stage A. Antenne 5-jointed, terminal joint very long, 48 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA wing-cases very minute buds, probably appearing for the first time at this stage. Stage B. Antenne 6-jointed, terminal joint long, wing-cases still small and tubercle-like (pl. 4, fig. 1). Stage C. Antenne 7-jointed, the terminal joint of pre- ceding stage having divided into two. Wing-cases in the form of small triangular flaps, the posterior pair reaching back about as far as the posterior margin of the metathorax (fig. 2). Stage D. Antenne 7-jointed, wing-cases still widely separated mesially, the hind pair extending to about the middle of seg. 1 of the abdomen, their front margins meeting the hind margins of the front pair but not overlapping the latter (fig. 3). Stage E. Front wing-cases though still separated mesi- ally are much more closely approximated and their hind margins are overlapped by the hind pair, which reaches about as far back as the apical margin of seg. I (fig. 4). Stage Ff. Front wing-cases attingent and about half covered by the hind pair, which reaches nearly to the apical margin of seg. 2, or to the middle of seg. 3, and a little beyond the middle of the hind femora (fig. 5). Stage G. Hind wing-cases reaching the base or apical margin of seg. 3 and nearly to the ends of the hind femora (fig. 6). Stage H (full- grown). Hind wing-cases generally reach as far back as the middle or apical margin of seg. 4 and extend a little beyond the ends of the hind femora (pls. 5 and 6). The above characters are based chiefly on the nymphs of Ae. umbrosa and Ae. canadensis but they apply equally well to those of all the other species seen except Ae. constricta. Two nymphs of this species apparently belonging to stage D, but with slightly longer wing-cases than is characteristic of that stage in other species were found in a creek near De Grassi Point, Lake Simcoe, in early July, 1910. After the next moult which occurred about a week later the nymphs were intermediate in wing-length between stages 9 and 10, and after another moult, in August, they had all the appear- WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 49 ance of full-grown nymphs, except that they were a little below normal size for full-grown nymphs of this species. One of them died just after the moult, but the other lived until Dec. 24, when it died apparently from a too rapid change of temperature in the aquarium. The genitalia in this specimen, which is a female, are fully developed, extending beyond the apical margin of segment 10, and the wing-cases reach a considerable distance beyond the apices of the hind femora. I am unable to say at present whether these pecu- liarities are characteristic of this species or were the result of abnormal conditions under which the nymphs were reared. Length of nymphal life—Our knowledge of the nymphal life of Aeshna is not sufficient to warrant a positive state- ment as to its length, which indeed is not necessarily the same in all species, nor in every locality. It is, however, exceedingly probable that in southern Canada and the north- ern United States three years is the normal length of life of Ae. canadensis and Ae. umbrosa, if not of all the species found there. It seems to be a general rule that stage F is entered upon about a year before the imago emerges. Of thirty- seven nymphs of Ae. multicolor collected by Mr. C. H. Ken- nedy at Sunnyside, Wash., in May, about the time when the imagoes were emerging, eleven were mature, twenty-four belonged to stage F and two to stage E. As the imagoes all emerge within a period of a few weeks the nymphs belonging to the latter two stages certainly remain over until the follow- ing year. Stage F of Ae. canadensis is the oldest stage that I have found in late summer after the time of emer- gence of this species and I have never found it in the early half of the season. I succeeded in rearing one individual taken during this stage. It moulted in the fall and became mature in the spring (the dates were lost), emerging on June 25. Six nymphs of this species taken at Go Home Bay, Ontario, on Aug. 14, 1908, all belong to this stage, while of six others taken on July 29, at nearly the same locality, four belonged to stage D and two to stage E. Six nymphs of Ae. canadensis taken at De Grassi Point on Sept. 6, 1910, be- long to stage C. Two of these soon moulted but all entered 50 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA the winter either as stage C or D. Finally I have taken stages A and B on July 27, 1910, and one example of stage C on July 31. These facts seem to show that stages E and F and often D are passed through during the season before that in which the imago emerges, and that A, B and C belong to a still earlier season. The remaining early stages doubtless be- long to the early part of the same season, as I have never been able to find any trace of them in the summer and autumn, in which practically all my nymph-collecting has been done. Thus it seems very probable that in Ae. canadensis the imago appears in the third season after the egg is deposited. This conclusion is, of course, open to doubt, and is offered merely as a basis for future work. And even if true in the case of canadensis it is not necessarily so for other species, as the following observations seem to indicate. On Aug. 8, I9gI0, [ took ten nymphs of Ae. eremita from a marsh on the Nipigon River, Ontario. At this time the imagoes were flying in numbers, the great majority fully mature and some worn, though a few tenerals were still to be seen. Of these nymphs two were mature, three belonged to stage F, two to stage E and three to stage B. The mature nymphs were taken home alive and I expected them to emerge within a fortnight at the latest, but they did not do so that season and are still alive at the time of writing, Jan. 25, 1911. Thus it is possible that an additional year is required by this species to complete its life-history, at least in the northern locality where these nymphs were found. Habitat of nymph—Although fresh water is probably the normal habitat of the nymphs of all the North American species of Aeshna, Ae. californica has been found in brackish water at Victoria, B.C. (Osburn ’06), and Mr. C. H. Kennedy has taken the adults of Ae. interrupta interna and Ae. palmata at an alkaline slough near Baker City, Oregon, where it is possible they were bred. Nymphs of Aeshna are unable to withstand freezing even for a short time and are killed by rapid changes in the temperature of the water. On July 29, 1908, I found a number of young nymphs of Ae. canadensis (stages D and E) ina WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 51 very shallow pond with a sandy bottom. The water over many square yards was not more than about three inches deep and had been heated by the sun to such a degree that it was almost uncomfortable to step into it with bare feet. The temperature must have been at least 38° C. Nymphs of Ischnura verticalis Say and Nehallennia irene Hagen were also common here and all were quite as active as usual. I brought a number of the Aeshna nymphs to the laboratory and left them overnight in a jar of water, but all were dead the next morning. The nymphs of Aeshna and the Aeshninae in general are climbers, living among reeds and rushes in still waters usually a few inches to one-and-one-half feet deep. Still weedy waters with a soft muddy bottom grown up with reeds, bur-reeds (Sparganium), sweet-flag (Acorus), horse- tails (Equisetum), coarses edges, etc., withan abundance of true aquatic plants, such as water-milfoil and pondweed, and of aquatic life in general, offer the best conditions for their ex- istence. Reed beds growing in water that is subject to any considerable wave-action may be searched in vain for any species of this genus, nor have any North American species been found in rapid streams where the allied genus Boyerza sometimes occurs. Only one species of Aeshna, Ae. umbrosa, has been found in shady woodland streams free from all reeds or reed-like plants, although this species seems to prefer a certain quantity of such growth. It never occurs in the open reed-like beds frequented by the majority of the species of this genus. Habits of nymph — The nymphs cling to the reeds, lying in wait for their prey. In captivity they are usually almost motionless, except when attracted by some moving object. Some nymphs of Aeshna which | kept in glass jars placed upon a window sill overlooking a lawn were often at- tracted by white clothes hanging from a clothes-line, when moved by the wind. They usually rest with the head downwards and in insufficiently aerated aquaria the tip of the abdomen is kept at the surface with the valves open. The opposite position is, however, often assumed, particu- larly when the time for emergence is near at hand. Nymphs 52 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA of Ae. cyanea, which I found in abundance in small pools at Tiibingen, Wiirttemburg,and Wiesen, Bohemia, were more frequently seen resting upon the bottom with the abdomen tilted slightly upwards than clinging to the reeds, though this is also a common habit. They were quite often observed to swim short distances with their characteristic straight jerky movements. While swimming all three pairs of legs are directed backwards, close to the body. The food of the nymph of Aeshna is similar to that of other large Odonate nymphs. Tadpoles, nymphs of smaller dragonflies, such as Leucorrhinia, Sympetrum, Lestes, or the smaller nymphs of their own species, nymphs of mayflies, Notonecta, larvae of aquatic beetles, crustaceans such as Gam- marus and Asellus, leeches, etc. According to Needham (03a) the nymphs of Ae. constricta (=Ae. umbrosa) will eat young brook-trout as long as themselves. This was demon- strated by confining them together in a breeding-cage. The trout disappeared one by one until all had been eaten. In aquaria I have found small earthworms convenient for feeding the older nymphs. The larger earthworms are avoided by Aeshna. Leeches are still better, where they are easily obtained, as they remain alive a long time in the aquarium. A leech, however, will often succeed in slipping away from the nymph after the latter has apparently succeeded in obtain- ing a firm hold of his prey. I have also fed Aeshna nymphs on flies, water-snails removed from their shells and suspended upon a thread in front of the insects, and on the larvae of the larch saw-fly (Nematus erichsonit), which has at times proved very convenient on account of its abundance. | tried also the larvae of Leconte’s saw-fly (Lophyrus lecontet) which occurred in large numbers on young white pines at De Grassi Point, but although seized by the nymph they were at once rejected. Probably the strong odour of turpentine which they give forth when crushed was disagreeable. In the words of Professor Needham, ‘‘the Aeshna nymph approaches its prey with the slowness and poise and stealth of a cat till within striking distance.’’ Those who have watched these insects in captivity will at once recognize the aptness of this comparison. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 53 Considerable difference may be observed between dif- ferent species of Aeshna in the boldness and voracity of their nymphs. Those of the cyanea group are distinctly less shy than those of the clepsydra group that I have observed. None of our species as far as I know is as voracious as Ae. cyanea which I reared in Germany, though Ae. umbrosa is very like it both in appearance and habits. Ae. cyanea would seize almost any object thrust into the water in the breeding-jar, such as a twig or even one’s finger and would attack earthworms of a size that would certainly be shunned by Ae. umbrosa. According to Stefanelli (82) this European species sometimes comes out of the water at night and de- vours the newly emerged imagoes of its own species. Wil- liamson has observed a nymph of Ae. constricta (umbrosa?) kill and partly consume within an hour seven toad tadpoles measuring about 13 mm. in length. I have seen one feeding upon an earthworm for over half an hour. The younger nymphs are eaten readily by the older nymphs of the same or other species of Aeshna or by other large Aeshnine nymphs, such as Anax junius. According to Needham (loc. cit.) nymphs of Ae. umbrosa are eaten by brook-trout. Symbiosis of nymph and green alga—Kammerer (’07) has described an interesting case of symbiosis between the nymph of Aeshna cyanea and the green alga Oedogonium un- dulatum (Alex. Braun). The nymphs were all found in a small pool near St. Margaretenbad, Bohemia, which had been used for a number of years by the washerwomen of the neighbourhood. All the nymphs of Ae. cyanea in the pool supported a growth of the alga, while none of those found in neighbouring pools not disturbed by the washerwomen were thus affected. A series of experiments showed conclusively that the association was a true case of symbiosis and that the alga-covered nymphs unlike those not associated with the plant were able to live in water strongly contaminated with various impurities, such as soap, their own excreta, etc., by reason of the more abundant supply of oxygen provided by the algae. They were also more resistant towards certain ectoparasites, such as Saprolegnia, which cannot live in an 54 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA atmosphere rich in oxygen. Thirdly, the growth of algae serves to hide the nymph from its enemies. On the other hand the alga has the benefit of free transport from place to place, which favours the processes of assimilation, and is able to obtain a richer food-supply from the fecal matter of the nymph and the mud, in which it fre- quently burrows. The author also suggests that the spines © and sharp corners of the chitinous sclerites of the nymph offer favourable points of attachment for the alga and that the latter is protected from many animals which ordinarily feed upon its filaments. It was also shown by experiments that the association between these two species could be brought about artificially, using individuals originally free-living and independent of one another, but that, with the exception of a temporary attachment to the cyanea nymph of the alga Oedogonium cap- illare no similar connections could be established between other aquatic larvae and algae. Anax and Libellula nymphs, for example, were refused as hosts by Oedogonium undulatum. No similar associations have been recorded from among North American Odonata and it is somewhat improbable that they will be found under such circumstances as those attend- ing the case described by Kammerer. Emergence of the imago—For a week or more prior to the time of emergence the nymph is sluggish and takes no food, and a few days before this event takes place certain changes in its appearance are noticeable. The eyes of the developing imago can be distinctly seen through the integument of the head, nearly meeting at the middle line and extending farther back than those of the nymph. As the time for transfor- mation approaches, the eyes become mesially attingent and the hind margins move backwards until they nearly reach the hindmarginofthe head. While these changes are taking place the labium is acquiring the form which it assumes in the imago and becomes entirely withdrawn from the larval cuticle, which appears quite empty shortly before the imago begins to emerge. During the last few days before emer- gence the nymph rests at the surface of the water with the head partly exposed. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 55 Judging from the very few occasions on which I have observed the emergence of Aeshna or the freshly transformed imagoes, it would seem that this process usually takes place late in the afternoon or in the evening. On August 15, 1908, I witnessed the entire process in the case of Ae. canadensis, a nymph of which I had been keeping in a breeding-jar in my room at De Grassi Point. At 10 p.m. I found that the nymph had crawled up a reed which had been placed for the purpose in the jar. It was clinging to the reed with the body in a vertical position (pl.5,fig.1). It remained almost motionless for nearly ten minutes and then began to execute slight jerky movements of the abdomen and lifting movements of the wing-pads. These were accompanied by a bulging of the thorax and head, the integument of which al- most immediately split in the usual way, i.e., in an arc across the eyes, along the mid-dorsal line of the back part of the head and thorax to the bases of the wing-cases, and along the upper edges of the thoracic pleura. In five minutes from the time when the abdominal movements commenced the head was free, and immediately afterwards the first pair of legs, followed rapidly by the second pair, these movements being accompanied by a backward curving of the body. The ex- traction of the wings and then the third pair of legs followed in less than a minute and at 10.16 p.m. the imago was hanging back in the position shown in fig. 5, the accessory genitalia plainly exposed and projecting, and only the last four ab- dominal segments not yet free. In this position the insect rested almost motionless for eleven minutes, the only notice- able change during this time being the very slight elongation of the wings. Then the legs began to move irregularly and at intervals but the position remained the same for seven minutes longer. At 10.34 p.m. there was a sudden convul- sive movement of the whole abdomen and slight movements of the legs, and ten minutes later the insect suddenly bent forward, grasped the anterior part of the exuvia with the legs and quickly withdrew the rest of the abdomen (figs. 6 and 7). The abdomen now measured 32 mm. and the wings Io mm. The colour was pale greenish grey, the lateral thoracic bands faintly distinguishable. In the next twelve minutes the 56 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA wings became fully expanded but the abdomen remained very little longer than before (fig. 8). Bobbing movements of the abdomen ensued, followed by a gradual clearing of the wings. Rhythmical up-and-down movements of the whole body and irregular telescopic movements of the abdomen were next observed. At 11.30 the abdomen had not quite reached its full length and was still stout. The colour was practically unchanged. Exuviae of Aeshna nymphs are, as a rule, difficult to find. As most of our species transform on reeds or other plants growing closely together in shallow waters they are not at all conspicuous and are very easily overlooked. They should be sought during the period of emergence, or soon afterwards, for they are soon blown into the water by the wind. They are generally found clinging to reeds a few inches above the water. Exuviae of Ae. umbrosa are sometimes found on stumps or logs at the water’s edge. THE NortH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA. General Characteristics. Although the number of described North American species of Aeshna is somewhat greater than that of the Palearctic species, the latter are more diversified in size, structure and colour-pattern and represent a larger number of groups. All of the North American groups except those of californica and multicolor occur also in the Palearctic region, where in addition to these the groups of grandis,! mixta,? tsoceles* and melanicterat are represented. The North American species are remarkably uniform in size, form and coloration, the males of nearly all the species having the abdomen brownish black, spotted with blue, no such variety of colour-pattern occurring as in the Palearctic species grandis, viridis, 1soceles, melanictera and cyanea. In both regions the greater number of species inhabit the cooler parts of the temperate zone and among these are 1 Including de. grandis L. and Ae. viridis Eversm. * Including Ae. mixta Latr. and Ae. affinis van der Linden. * Including Ae. tsoceles Miiller and Ae. martini Selys, and possibly others. * Including this species alone (?) WALKER: NortH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 57 some of the most characteristic dragonflies of the subarctic and arctic regions. A number of the North American species, including two groups, are entirely restricted to the boreal region, where they are a dominant group, both in species and individuals. Key to the North American Species of Aeshna. I. MALEs. A. Anal triangle 2-celled; spines of anterior lamina directed ventrad. On B. Line of contact of the eyes little or no longer than the occiput; lateral thoracic bands less than 1 mm. broad, the first band sigmoid or bent twice at alternate angles; hamular processes large, broad and elevated behind, acute in front, their inner margins straight and attingent or approximated ; hamular folds small, more or less concealed by the hamular processes with which they are connected by a low ridge... .. (caerulea group). C. Preocular band not produced forward on each side behind the T-spot; distance from hind margin of occiput to frontal vesicle less than 2 mm.; spines of anterior lamina not longer than the hamular pro- cess, stout, straight, bluntly pointed; MD large, isteoular .Or suqUadrates fue he Masala. leo ticle valierh « ERG AE RST 9 FRR a eee caerulea septentrionalts Burm. CC. Preocular band produced forward on each side of the stem of the T-spot; distance from hind margin of occiput to frontal vesicle about 2.5 mm.; spines of anterior lamina longer than the hamular process, curved ventrad and tapering to a slender point; MD of ordinary size, triangular.. . sttchensts Hag. BB. Line of contact of eyes distinctly longer than the occiput; lateral thoracic band generally more than I mm. broad, when narrower never sigmoid; hamular processes never with straight closely approximated inner margins; hamular folds (except in Ae. subarctica) not at all con- cealed by the hamular processes. D. Hamular processes long and slender, separated from the hamular folds, which are more or less reduced; spines of anterior lamina very long, tapering to a fine 58 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA point; superior appendages more or less acute at apices, the superior carina not denticulated; a black band on the fronto-nasal suture.............. (juncea group). E. Lateral thoracic bands broad, the margins straight; spines of anterior lamina curved ventrad; apices of hamular processes acute and somewhat EE. Lateral thoracic bands broadly excavated in front, the first one narrowed and slightly bent a little above the middle; spines of anterior lamina straight, very slender; hamular processes rounded at apices, almost concealing the small hamular folds in a perpendicular view......... subarctica Walk. DD. Hamular processes short, continuous with the hamular folds, which are well developed; spines of an- terior lamina short and straight... (clepsydra group). F. Superior appendages without a prominent basal inferior tubercle; seg. 10 with a pair of pale dorsal spots (PD) which are sometimes confluent. G. Dorsal thoracic bands reduced to a pair of small isolated spots (often absent in dried specimens) ; lateral thoracic bands reduced, either narrow and nearly straight or divided into an upper and lower spot. Mtaarising normally beyond middle of pterostigma; spines of anterior lamina very short and blunt; superior carina of superior appendages generally with a few small denticles; a black line on the fronto-nasal suture....... interrupta Walk. GG. Dorsal thoracic bands complete, expanded at their upper ends ; lateral thoracic bands broad, more or less excavated or sinuate in front; Mita arising normally before the middle of the pteros- tigma. H. Superior appendages with a low sub-basal inferior prominence, expanding almost sym- metrically from the base, the inner margins in dorsal view not sinuate; apices rounded, normally without a terminal spine and not at WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 59 all decurved; superior carina rather strongly elevated apically, where it bears 6 or 8 well- marked denticles; a black line on the fronto- nasal suture (sometimes absent in arctic specimens) ; first lateral thoracic band strongly constricted about the middle by the deep ex- cavation of) the front margin.) 0. MWe evil ara SAR EMRE NY UL CURB RH eremita Scudd. HH. Superior appendages expanding unsym- metrically from the base, their inner margins sinuate in dorsal view; apices acute witha terminal spine; superior carina moderately or but little elevated apically. I. A black line on the fronto-nasal suture; a large pale triangular spot immediately in front of the humeral suture below ; lateral thoracic bands very broad, the up- per end of the first band narrowed and bent cephalad ; pale spots between the bands very large, occupying the greater part of the space between them; outer margin of the superior appendages in lateral view very slightly elevated apically, with 3-5 small denticles..:/07 2 o52.Nc4 clepsydra Say. II. No black line on the fronto-nasal sut- ure; no triangular spot in front of humeral suture below ; first lateral thoracic band bent caudad at the upper end ; spots be- tween the lateral bands, when present, small; outer margin of superior append- ages in lateral view more or less upcurved, apices decurved; superior carina moderate- ly elevated apically. J. Lateral thoracic bands blue or green, the first generally green below, blue above, its anterior margin almost rec- tangularly sinuate ; superior carina of superior appendages with a few denticles, apices rather abruptly decurved; ham- 60 WALKER: NortTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA ular processes rather long, directed ceph- alad, subparallel, the apices converg- ent; PL typically represented on abd. SES) GL A canadensis Walk. JJ. Lateral thoracic bands yellowish green, the anterior margin of the first band obtusangularly sinuate; superior carina of the superior appendages not denticulated; apices usually gently de- curved; hamular processes directed mesad and ventrad, each consisting of a stout proximal and a slender distal part; PL typically represented on abd. segs. 2-4. AVES CHM RL REDS an AIRY QOL verticalis Hag. FF. Superior appendages with a prominent inferior basal tubercle; superior carina moderately elevated apically, not denticulated ; apices rounded with a small projecting spine, not decurved ; lateral thoracic bands broad, not excavated in front; abd. seg. 10 wholly black h) un ONi eae nn apt tuberculifera Walk. AA. Anal triangle 3-celled; spines of anterior lamina curved dorsad. K. Abd. seg. I without a distinct ventral tubercle; dorsum of seg. 10 smooth; superior appendages without a well-developed superior carina but with an anteapical internal hairy tubercle and an anteapical inferior spine; apices ‘proadly ‘rounded iMG ih Zid ows (cyanea group). L. A black line (rarely a fine brown line) on the fronto- nasal suture; dorsal thoracic bands I mm. or less. broad, tapering somewhat towards each end or some- times suddenly expanded at the posterior end; lateral thoracic bands nearly straight and equal; a distinct greenish yellow lateral spot on seg. 1 ; lateral carinae of seg. 7 in ventral view, slightly or not at all sinuate; venter of abdomen and rear of head wholly black; generally one cell between A2 and A2 at their origin. OPO is) Sy RAM tet Asi Ses bt SEES SER palmata Hag. LL. Without a black line on the fronto-nasal suture; WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 61 dorsal thoracic bands rapidly widened caudad so as to be triangular in form with the base just in front of the antealar sinus; generally two cells between Az and A3 at their origin. M. Rear of head in part fuscous; lateral thoracic bands rather narrow (1 mm.); straight, not widening above the middle, surrounded by a dark margin; a pair of large pale basal spots on the ventral surfaces of segs. 4, 5 and 6; lateral carina of seg. 7, viewed ventrad, strongly sinuate in its anterior two-fifths. NAVARA A ar Ait ng UOT AeA SA A RO LT Al umbrosa Walk. MM. Rear of head wholly black; lateral thoracic bands broader, not surrounded by a dark margin, widening above the middle, margins of first band, especially the anterior, sinuate; venter of abdomen without pale spots; lateral carinae of seg. 7, viewed ventrad, at most feebly sinuate.....constricta Say. KK. Abd. seg. I with a distinct spinulose ventral tuber- cle; dorsum of seg. 10 with median and submedian tooth-like elevations; superior appendages with a well- developed superior carina. N. A black line on the fronto-nasal suture; superior appendages without an anteapical inferior spine, the apices obtusangulate or rounded, superior carina not angulate or denticulate; inferior appendage somewhat less than half as long as the superior pair............. DES Ay INO RS rad UC MOS eR Sen CML ret californica Calv. NN. No black line on the fronto-nasal suture; superior appendages with an anteapical inferior spine, the apices acute and decurved, superior carina angulate; inferior appendages slightly more than half as long as fhe SHMEeKION Aaumuys . 8 Ie eal elas (multicolor group). O. Abdomen (excl. appendages) less than four times as long as the thorax; a prominent ventral tubercle on abd. seg. 1; inferior sub-basal tubercle of the superior appendages at one-fourth to one- fifth the length of the appendages; height of supe- rior carina above outer margin, in profile, not less than the depth of the appendage directly below it; 62 “\WALKER:;NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA distance from summit of superior carina to apex of appendage greater than one-third of the length of the appendage; outer side of anal loop in hind wing longer than inner side of the triangle......... Peay ales Ad Sk iPD teh Wnred LUD SA) Nec Ale Mapas dhe fd multicolor Hag. OO. Abdomen (excl. appendages) not less, gener- ally a little more, than four times as long as the thorax; ventral tubercle on abd. seg. 1 but little elevated; inferior sub-basal tubercle of the superior appendages at one-sixth to one-seventh the length of the appendage; height of superior carina above outer margin, in profile, generally much less than the depth of the appendage directly below it; dis- tance from summit of superior carina to apex of appendage about one-third of the length of the appendage; outer side of anal loop in hind wing about as long as the inner side of the triangle. a aN tata eal en a wih aU Cl ae ta i8 a re A mutata Hag. I]. FEMALES. A. Abd. seg. 1 without a distinct ventral tubercle; fork of Rs decidedly asymmetrical at base. B. Line of contact of eyes little or no longer than occi- put; lateral thoracic bands less than I mm. broad, the first band sigmoid or bent twice at alternate angles. Genital valves in ventral view tapering evenly to the narrow attingent apices, lateral carinae prominent. C. Distance from hind margin of occiput to frontal vesicle less than 2 mm.; preocular band not produced forward on each side above; appendages about as long as segs.9+10, more slender proximally than dis- tally, the apicesrounded or broadly and obscurely perianal t)3) en caerulea septenirionalis Burm. CC. Distance from hind margin of occiput to frontal vesicle about 2mm.; preocular band produced forward on each side of the stem of the T-spot; appendages slightly longer than the dorsa of seg.9+10, tapering equally at base and apex, the latter distinctly though blimey pointed “si a ee ei sitchensis Hag. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 63 BB. Line of contact of eyes distinctly longer than oc- ciput; lateral thoracic bands generally more than 1 mm. broad, when narrower never sigmoid. D. Basal plate of ovipositor distinctly bilobate, lateral genital plates absent; PL large but separate from PD (sometimes narrowly connected on 2). E. Lateral thoracic bands broad, not excavated in front, first band gradually tapering to the upper end, without a distinct posterior offshoot; genital valves with a distinct ventral surface; appendages shorter than abd. segs. 8+9 (5 mm. or less). .... Ba ete setnaur sib) eM ogi seek. 1:2 SO 73 2-1 a juncea L. EE. Lateral thoracic bands narrower, broadly ex- cavated infront, first band gently widening above the middle to the upperend from which a narrow posterior offshoot is given off; genital valves with- out a distinct ventral surface, appendages about as long as abd. segs. 8+9(6-6.8 mm.).......... ee ha at MN ie TEM ARES! 95.5 oH IDES subarctica Walk. DD. Basal plate of ovipositor not bilobate, its hind margin straight or slightly arcuate; lateral genital plates present ; PL generally confluent with PD (often separate in Ae. umbrosa). F. Styli much shorter than the dorsum of abd. seg. 10; appendages less than 1.5 mm. broad, decidedly slenderer in the basal than in the apical third; broadest beyond the middle ; apices generally rounded. G. A black line on the fronto-nasal suture. H. Genital valves 2-2.5 mm. long; apices not elevated, bearing a very minute pencil of hairs. I. Dorsal thoracic bands absent or repre- sented each by a minute and usually ill- defined spot; lateral thoracic bands reduced, I mm.or lessin width, each band often di- vided into an upper and lower spot ; Mia normally arising beyond the middle of the pterostigma. 22.6229... - interrupta Walk. II. Dorsal thoracic bands distinct in well- preserved specimens, complete, or the upper 64 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA end separated as a distinct spot; lateral thoracic bands more than I mm. broad, never divided but the first band deeply ex- cavated in front; Mianormally arising in front of the middle of the pterostigma. J. Without a pale triangular spot in front of the humeral suture; first lateral thoracic band not bent forward at the upper end; spots between lateral bands not unusually large: ic. eat ee es eremita Scudd. JJ. A large pale triangular spot in front of the humeral suture below;; first lateral thoracic band bent forward at upper end; spots between lateral bands very large, often confluent with the bands. we io Pha d bled. ee ae ie clepsydra Say. HH. Genital valves 3-3.5 mm. long, apices ele- vated, without a terminal pencil of hairs; lateral ‘ thoracic bands about I mm. broad, straight, not excavated in-dfuont. e002" 4eeie lick: palmata Hag. GG. Without a black line on the fronto-nasal suture. K. Lateral thoracic bands green or yellowish green (rarely blue) not margined with black, the anterior margin of the first band distinctly sin- uate, the second band elongate-triangular; geni- tal valves 2-2.6 mm. long, apices not elevated, bearing a minute pencil of hairs. L. First lateral thoracic band with the anterior margin almost rectangularly sinuate, much narrowed about the middle, its upper end giving off caudad a very narrow offshoot; posterior (postero-inferior) margin of second band generally curued ventrad at the upper end; sulcation of ventral surfaces of genital valves not distinctly delimited posteriorly, appendages usually 4-6 mm. long............. BET) sc a eet. canadensis Walk. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 65 LL. First lateral thoracic band with the anterior margin obtusangularly sinuate,not much narrow- ed about the middle, its upper end giving off caudad a broad offshoot; posterior margin of second lateral band straight; sulcation of ven- tral surfaces of genital valves terminating more or less abruptly some distance before the apices; appendages 5.75-7 mm. long. ......... ba Wii Dat 3 5 Oa na RMR aes ale verticalis Hag. KK. Lateral thoracic bands yellow, margined with black or dark brown, about 1 mm. broad, straight, the first band expanded a little below, but not at all sinuate, the second band with the margins subparallel; genital valves 2.7-3 mm. long, apices slightly elevated, without a terminal pencil ATES EO Vey Oh AA a aa Ben umbrosa Walk. FF. Styli as long as the dorsum of abd. seg. 10 (1.5-2 mm.); appendages 2 mm. broad or nearly so; basal third fully as broad as the apical, expanding rapidly with convex margins so that the greatest breadth is attained before the middle; apex gener- aliy acute, never broadly rounded; no black line on the fronto-nasal suture. M. First lateral band with the anterior margin straight or nearly so, gradually tapering dorsad and not giving off a distinct posterior offshoot; second lateral band not widened at the upper end; genital valves 3.1-3.5 mm. long, apices broad in profile, each bearing a minute pencil of hairs;styli 1.5 mm., spin- ules on ventral surface of abd. seg. Io comparatively femanihl eOaree yy 5 le eas tuberculifera Walk. MM. First lateral band with the anterior margin distinctly sinuate, the upper end giving off a small posterior offshoot; second lateral band rapidly widened at the upper end; genital valves 4-4.5 mm. long, apices slender in profile, without a pencil of hairs; styli nearly I mm. long ; spinules on ventral surface of abd. seg. 10 numerous, minute SINE bes eee Es 2), hi.4. 0.) 0) mre Meets boy. constricta Say. 66 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA AA. Abd. seg. I with a distinct ventral tubercle; fork of Rs nearly symmetrical at base; genital valves without dis- tinct lateral carinae. N. A black line on the fronto-nasal suture; supratri- angle of fore wings clear or with a single cross-vein. S12 Yves RAN Si eta aL Ae ey ie californica Calv. NN. Without a black line on the fronto-nasal suture; supratriangle of fore wings with 2-4 cross-veins. ©. Abdomen scarcely more than four times as long as the thorax; a prominent ventral tubercle on abd. seg. 1; appendages somewhat shorter than segs. 8+9 (5-6 mm.), both margins arcuate, the curve of the inner margin not much stronger than that of the outer; outer side of anal loop of hind wings longer than inner © sidévof triangle) AAA On aa Ae multicolor Hag. OO. Abdomen four and one half times as long as thorax; ventral tubercle on abd. seg. 1 but little elevated; appendages a little longer than segs. 8+9 (6.5-7.5 mm.); outer margin straight, inner margin arcuate; outer side of anal loop of hind wings about as long as inner side of triangle......... mutata Hag. Key to the known Nymphs of North American Species of Aeshna. A. Mentum of labium distinctly more than half as broad at base as at apex; genitalia of female usually not reaching the posterior margin of 9 and never extending beyond it. B. Lateral spines present on abd. segs. 5-9; lateral lobes of labium squarely truncate. C. Postero-lateral angles of head bluntly angulate or but, Hitde*reunded ) 00: 4en a eee eee eremita. CC. Postero-lateral angles of head broadly rounded. DE CO Reeee gee |. eR ee Cerone interrupta lineata? BB. Lateral spines present on abd. segs. 6-9; postero- lateral corners of head well rounded. D. Femora dark with three pale annuli; abdomen marked with irregular pale blotches on a darker ground colour; lateral lobes of labium squarely trun- cate, the outer apical angle scarcely rounded. . Ng TE ee tated otc “o> lave, SRS a ele ee interrupta interrupta. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 67 DD. Femora uniform; abdomen without irregular blotches, more or less distinctly longitudinally striped; lateral lobes of labium, when truncate, with the outer apical angle distinctly rounded off. E. Lateral lobes of labium truncate; abdomen not conspicuously striped; lateral spines on 6 rudi- mentary, distant from the posterior margin of the segment by at least four times their own length. F. Punctae conspicuously marked with dark brown, those of the lateral series distinctly larger than the dorso-lateral; lateral spines on g not quite reaching as far caudad as the middle of the dorsum of 10; lateral appendages of female half as long as the inferior pair.............. juncea. FF. Punctae very inconspicuously marked, the dorsal series being scarcely darker than the ground colour, those of the lateral and dorso- lateral series about equal in size; lateral spines on g reaching as far caudad as the middle of the dor- sum of 10; lateral appendages of female three- fifths as long as the inferior pair....... subarctica. EE. Lateral lobes of labium not truncate, but ex- teriorly curving to a prominent internal terminal hook; abdomen with conspicuous well-defined dor- sal longitudinal bands; lateral spines on 6 well- developed, distant from the posterior margin by about their own length. G. Lateral margins of mentum of labium in the basal half not in the least degree arcuate, lateral lobes terminating in a broadly curved hook; dark median band on abdomen not deepened about the MOrSsal DUNEEAG:. . Axscyinr amass tea ce ta clepsydra. GG. Lateral margins of mentum of labium in the basal half very feebly arcuate, lateral lobes terminating in a very abruptly curved and al- most truncate hook; dark median band on ab- domen deepened about the dorsal punctae. SPAR Te ae Kea hace aren aire aN te Ue. sda st OIOCH SES: 68 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA AA. Mentum of labium not, or scarcely more than half, as broad at base as at apex. H. Lateral lobes of labium tapering to a slender slightly hooked point; legs uniformly coloured; genitalia of female reaching caudad nearly or quite to the apical margin of TQ. (550 9 BRE, LUO lath by he aie ce ae iy Ace constricta. HH. Lateral lobes of labium squarely truncate; femora, and generally the tibiae also,with alternate pale and dark annuli; genitalia of female never reaching caudad to the middle of ro. I. Eyes very prominent, postocular part of head com- paratively long with straight lateral margins,and pro- minent, though rounded, postero-lateral angles; men- tum of labium strongly narrowed in the proximal four- sevenths, distal part with the lateral margins strong- ly arcuate; genitalia of female reaching to or beyond the posterior margin of 9. J. Apical breadth of mentum of labium equal to about four-fifths of its length, lateral lobes without an internal apical tooth; supracoxal processes equal; genitalia of female extending over the basal third of L(! Pe PR PRT ELEC Ges ar ei oeeR ea Se palmata. JJ. Apical breadth of labium equal to about three- fourths of its length, lateral lobes with a small in- ternal apical tooth; supracoxal processes unequal, the posterior somewhat the larger; genitalia of female extending barely to the posterior margin of Gs RE Grey ce eae ug Dl oh vie Ren oct Re umbrosa. II. Eyes but little prominent, postocular part of head short with scarcely any development of the lateral margin as distinct from the curve of the postero- lateral angles; mentum of labium expanding almost evenly, distal part with the lateral margins moderately arcuate; genitalia of female not reaching the posterior margin of 9. K. Posterior supracoxal process distinctly longer than the anterior; lateral spines on abd. seg. 6 dis- tant from the posterior margin by I-2 times their own length ; anterior wing-cases with II-I5 ante- WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 69 cubital veins; basal part of superior appendages of male about as long as the basal breadth; tibiae without, or with indistinct, annuli...... californica. KK. Supracoxal processes subequal; lateral spines on 6 rudimentary, distant from the posterior mar- gin by at least four times their own length; anterior wing-cases with 16-19 (rarely 15) antecubital veins; basal part of superior appendages of male distinctly longer than the basal breadth; tibiae with distinct “LAU 01 6 Anema et PM ER ARAN RAORMAE HL as tr multicolor. The caerulea group—A well circumscribed group of boreal distribution, consisting of the circumpolar Ae. cae- rulea with its two races, caerulea and septentrionalis, and the North American Ae. sttchensis. Their origin and affinities are obscure, their nearest allies being apparently the juncea group, with which they share the long downwardly directed spines of the anterior laminae and the reduced hamular folds. In the feeble and undecided development of the anterior branch of the fork of the radial sector, especially in caerulea, and the long line of cross-veins between Rs and M2 the group appears to be a primitive one, approaching the genera Oplon- aeschna and Basiaeschna. The juncea group—This is also a sharply defined group of two boreal species, of which juncea is circumpolar, sub- arctica North American. Their nearest affinities are with the clepsydra group, to certain members of which they bear a remarkably close resemblance, both in the adult and nymphal state. The wide differences in the genitalia, however, show that there is no very close relationship between the two groups. The clepsydra group—Another circumboreal group of eight species,! six of which occur in North America, two in Asia and one in Europe. Their nearest allies are the Pale- arctic species grandis and viridis, which differ chiefly in the simpler and more generalized form of the male abdominal appendages and the more specialized type of coloration. The genitalia of both sexes are of precisely the same type and ‘Ae. nigrojflava Martin, from Japan, is probably also a member of this group but as I have not seen it I prefer to leave it out. 70 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA the venational characters are also very similar in the two groups. The North American species of the clepsydra group are for the most part remarkably alike and it seems probable that they have diverged from a common ancestor at a compara- tively recent period. Species are apparently still in the pro- cess of evolution, as exemplified in the case of the geographical races of Ae. interrupta. The most generalized member of the group, however, is the Siberian Ae. crenata, in which the lateral thoracic bands are broad and straight as in juncea and grandis. This species closely resembles interrupta and ere- mita in the accessory genitalia of the male, and the appendages of this sex combine the characters of several of the American forms such as eremita, interrupta and clepsydra. It would thus seem very probable that the clepsydra group had a common origin with the grandis group in the Palearctic re- gion. The cyanea group—This is a very well-marked group of four species, remarkable for the form of the male appendages. In the Palearctic Ae. cyanea thespecialization in these struc- tures has not been carried quite so far as in the other forms and the downwardly directed apical spine is clearly homolo- gous with the pointed apices in the ordinary type of appen- dage, while the hairy anteapical tubercle is less developed than in the other species and appears to represent part of the su- perior carina. Of the other three species palmata is in most respects intermediate between umbrosa and constricta and may be regarded as nearly representing the parental form from which they have descended. This being so, it is an interesting fact that palmata occurs in northeastern Asia as well as western North America. Thus it is probable that the cyanea group is also of Palearctic origin, Ae. cyanea being the most primitive species in the form of the male appendages, though most specialized in coloration, while Ae. palmata is the most generalized of the other three. In this connection it may be noted that Ae. umbrosa has diverged from palmata more widely in the east than in the west, the abdominal coloration being more similar to that of palmata in British Columbia and the Western WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 7I States, where both species occur together, than in eastern North America where only umbrosa is found. The californica groubp—The nearest allies of Ae. californica are found in a group of species from South and Central America and Mexico. This group as pointed out by Cal- vert (’05b) consists of such species as Ae. diffinis, marchali, cornigera, galapagoensts, bonariensis and confusa. Ae. haarupi probably also belongs here. Not having studied many of these forms closely, I am uncertain as to the limits of the group, or whether it is sharply marked off from the following group, to which it is certainly very closely allied. The nymphs of californica and multicolor are remarkably similar. The multicolor group—The peculiar form of the abdom- inal appendages of the male seems to be the only character by which this group differs from the preceding, of which it is probably an offshoot. It is best developed in southern Mexico, where Ae. dugesit, multicolor and jalapensis occur. The only other species, Ae. mutata, is a northeastern offshoot, occurring in the eastern half of the United States. Besides the species of Aeshna described here, one other, the Palearctic Ae. grandis L, has been once recorded from North America by Hagen (’61), who observed a single in- dividual at Bergen Hill, N.J. This specimen was believed to have been introduced by a vessel. There is also a specimen of grandis in the collection of the Ontario Agricultural Col- lege, Guelph, labelled ‘‘London, Ont., J. M. Denton.” Nothing, however is known of the history. of this specimen and in the absence of such information I prefer to exclude this species from the present account. caerulea group << iuneea group 7 Nl Clepsydra group ae “> grandis group an g * cyanea group _ mixta group iSoceles group californica group multicolor group Fic. 8—Interrelationships of the various groups of deshna represented in North America and Europe. 72. WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIES. Aeshna caerulea septeatrionnlis Burmeister. (Pl. 12, fig. 4; pl. 15, figs. 1, 1a; pl. 18, figs. 1, 1a; pl. 22, figs. 1, 2) 3) Aeschna septentrionalis, Burmeister, Handb. der Ent., II, 839 (1839) ; Hagen, Syn. Neur. N.A., p. 120 (1861); Pr. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVIII, p. 33 (1875); Kirby, Syn. Cat. Neur. Od., p. 87 (1890); Hagen, Psyche, V, p. 354-355 (1890); Banks, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XIX, p. 353 (1892); Calvert, Trans, Am. Ent. Soc. XXV, p. 54 (1898); Fyles, Ann. Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont., XXXI, p. 54 (1901); Williamson, Ent. News, XVII, p. 135 (1906) ; Martin, Coll. Zool. Selys., XVIII, pp. 37-41, 79, figs. 35, 36 (1908); Gen. Ins., CXN, para pl. 3, figs. 1, Ia. 1b (1911). } Aeshna septentrionalis, Calvert, Occas. Pap. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., VII, 6, p. 23 (1905) ; Williamson, Ohio Nat., VII, p. 150 (1907); Walker, Can. Ent., XL. pp. 386, 390, 451 (1908) ; Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 113 (1910). A rather small, moderately stout species. Male—Occiput pale yellowish, broader than long, as long as, or somewhat longer than, the line of contact of the eyes, which measures less than 1 mm. in length ; frontal vesicle very large, about twice as broad as long, the front margin straight or slightly emarginate, black with a median yellow spot not reaching the lateral ocelli; eyes much narrowed above and smaller than in other North American species; T-spot with cross-bar very heavy, 2-2.5 mm., the stem very short, about .5 mm. broad; preocular band not curved for- ward on each side of the T-spot, but continued ventrad as a marginal line to the bases of the lateral lobes of the nasus, ex- panding considerably to the fronto-nasal suture, but narrow on the nasus; a heavy black line on the fronto-nasal suture, widened only at the outer ends; face dull yellowish or brown- ish olivaceous with a pale submarginal band, short, the frons being about four times, and the nasus three times, as broad as long (vertical dimension) ; two transversely impressed areas near the lower margin of the nasus not marked with black, lateral lobes rotundo-rectangulate, feebly flaring; rhinarium reddish brown;labrum greenish yellow with a black upper, and generally a brownish lower, margin; labium dull yellow stained with reddish brown peripherally; rear of head black. Thorax somewhat more robust than in Ae. sitchensts, dull olivaceous brown, darkened along the sutures and about the lateral bands. Dorsal bands reduced to a pair of minute, WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 73 though distinct, elongate pale spots 1-1.75 mm. long. A pale streak usually present along the lower half or more of the humeral suture in front. Lateral thoracic bands narrow and irregular, pale yellow (bluish above?). First band very strongly sinuate, being twice bent, at alternate angles, broadest in the middle and lower parts, but nowhere more than I mm. and sometimes (in Labrador specimen) very narrow and broken; a narrow posterior offshoot is given off at the upper end. Second band nearly straight, narrowed and sometimes divided at the middle, upper ends expanding along the posterior margin of the thorax above and below. Two small spots generally present between the lateral bands, one at the metastigma, the other above it. Legs rather pale reddish brown, darkened on the tarsi, distal ends of the tibiae and under surface of the femora. Abdomen about four times as long as thorax and barely longer than the hind wing, considerably stouter than in sttchensis, strongly constricted at 3, then rapidly expanding and attaining nearly its full width at the apex of that segment; base of 10 considerably narrower than the apical margin of 9. Seg. 1 without a ventral tubercle; auricles with 4-6 teeth; tergal margins of 2 approximated but not angular. Spines of the anterior lamina rather stout, shorter than in Ae. sitchensis, reaching caudad nearly to the posterior margin of the hamular processes, and projecting a little below the tergal margins, nearly straight, rather bluntly pointed, directed ventrad, caudad and slightly mesad. Hamular pro- cesses very large, their posterior margins broad, rounded and strongly elevated, the apices bluntly acute, the inner margins rather narrowly separated at base but approximated apically. Outer surfaces strongly concave and almost vertical apically; hamular folds very small and almost concealed in a direct ventral view by the hamular processes with which they are connected by a low ridge; closely approximated mesially. Lateral carinae on 7 and 8 nearly straight; on 9 present, as a rule, only on the apical half. Dorsum of 10 with a prominent median basal tooth and a smaller one on each side of it. Superior appendages a little shorter than 9+ 10, moderate- 6 74 WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA ly slender and slightly divergent in their basal fifth, where they are separated by aspace 2.5 times their width, thence expand- ing on the inner margins to the middle, where the breadth is 1-5 to 1-4 times the length, tapering slightly in the distal half to the well-rounded apices, which are without a terminal tooth; outer margins moderately convex, inner margins sinuate in the basal half. Superior carina obsolete or feeble in the basal third, considerably elevated in the apical fourth and strongly arcuate at apex, nearly smooth or with a few minute elevated points. In profile the outer margin appears gently upcurved or nearly straight but the appendage appears con- siderably upcurved apically on account of the elevated superior carina and arcuate inferior carina, which is formed by the deflected inner margins. Basal part thickened, with a low sub-basal inferior prominence. Inferior appendage triang- ular, slightly less than one-half as long as the superiors, basal breadth three-fifths to two-thirds of the length, sides barely convex, apex very bluntly rounded, surmounted by a pair of small recurved teeth. Upper margin in profile view very gently curved, lower margin strongly curved, the sides very broad near the base, tapering rapidly. Abdomen brownish black, all the pale markings prob- ably blue, varying considerably in size but always large. Seg. 1. Dorsal spot apparently large, lateral spot vari- able, sometimes I.5 mm. in the transverse dimension, some- times obsolete (?Labrador specimen). Seg. 2. AML very large, covering most or all of the lateral surface back to the transverse carina, connected with or narrowly separated from MD. PL and PD confluent, covering about two-thirds of the posterior half of the segment, deeply notched in front, broadly confluent above with its fellow and with a median dorsal band, more than I mm. broad, which runs cephalad nearly to the anterior margin. Segs. 3-10. AL on 3-8, upper margins straight, no basal offshoots ; on 3 covering almost the whole lateral surface in front of the transverse carina. ML large, rounded poster- iorly. MD very large, irregularly semi-elliptical or sub- quadrate, and generally broadly confluent with ML except on 8, where it is reduced to a mere dot; generally confluent WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 75 also with PD on some or all of the segments, the variation in this regard being considerable. In the Labrador specimen these spots are more widely separated than in the others. PD on 3-10, varying in length from 1.5 mm. on 3 to 2mm. on 8, always well separated from its fellow, except sometimes on 10 where there may be a narrow connection next the posterior margin; inner margins nearly straight on last 2 or 3 seg- ments, elsewhere convex or somewhat indented and irregular. PL usually on 3-8, on 3 and 4 only in the Labrador specimen, connected with PD, straight and elongate where well-devel- oped and separated from PD throughout, or narrowly con- nected on 3 and sometimes 4; often also with ML on 3 and 4. Wings of average size and usual form, the hind wing about as long as the abdomen, hyaline; costal margin moderately dark brown; pterostigma long, brown; membranule uniform grey, extending caudad to cross-vein of the anal triangle, which is 2-celled; one cell between A2 and A3 at their origin. Upper branch of Rs following a somewhat irregular course, not always distinct at its origin and, when distinct here, coming off at a rather marked angle, at a point opposite the first to the third postnodal cell before the pter- ostigma ; 3 (rarely 2) rows of cells between the forks at the level of the distal end of the stigma, and 3-4 rows of cells be- tween the forks at the margin. Rspl nearly straight, sepa- rated from Rs at the point of greatest divergence by 4 (rarely 5) rowsof cells. Tworowsof cells between Rs and M2 for a con- siderable distance before and beyond the fork of the Rs, some- times indications of a third row. Mya arising under the stigma at a point opposite or somewhat before the middle. Antenodals bad postnodals CuCr a Spt 3. i-2 < Female—Abdomen about as long as hind wing, deeper than in the male, especially at seg. 3, the dorsal and ventral surfaces of which appear in profile nearly straight. Seg. 3 al- most as long as 1+2, barely longer than 4. Genital valves a little longer than the dorsum of 9, ven- tral margin in profile slightly convex, especially at apex; lateral carinae percurrent, sharp and very prominent; space between them in ventral view, suddenly widened a little be- 76 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA yond the base, thence tapering evenly to the narrow pointed apices, the greatest width being about two-fifths of the length. Ventral surface of valves moderately declivent. Styli somewhat less than one-half as long asthe dorsum of Io. Basal plate of ovipositor of moderate size, the posterior margin nearly straight. Ventral surface of 10 deeply cleft by the posterior margin. Appendages slightly shorter than 9+10, somewhat incurved at base, lanceolate, greatest width be- yond the middle, somewhat less than one-fourth of the length; curve of inner margin slightly stronger than that of the outer; apices rotundo-angulate without a projecting tooth. The colour-pattern differs but little from that of the male. Dorsal abdominal spots somewhat smaller, lateral spots slightly larger than in the male. MD sometimes compara- tively small, triangular and isolated, sometimes large, sub- quadrate and confluent with ML and PD on some of the seg- ments. PL on 2-7 separate from PD, but confluent with ML on some or all of the segments. Measurements—Thor. & 9-10, 9 9-9.5; abd. co 37.5-42, 2 35-40; seg. 3 co’ 5.8-6.7, 9 5-5.8; depth seg. 2 o" 4-4.5, 9 4-4.8 ; depth seg. 3 o& 2-2.6, 9 3.3-3.6 ; apps. o 4-4.1, 9 3.5; gen. v. 2.4-2.6 ; h.w. o 36-40, 9 34-38.5 ; width h.w. oO I1-12.5, Q I1-12.8; pter. & 3.5-3.8, 9 4. Type— 9, Museum Comp. Zoology—Labrador. Nymph—Unknown. Material determined—5 30 5 9. LABRADOR (M.C.Z. 10° 1 9, Brit. Mus. 1%). NEWFOUNDLAND: Grand Lake, July 21, 1910 (D.A. Atkinson, coll.Williamson, 1 9). New HAmpsHIRE: White Mountains (Scudder, M.C.Z., 1 o). NoRTHWEST TERRITORY : Fort Resolution, Great Slave Lake, 1861 (Kennicott, M.C.Z.,2 0 39). Identity—I can find no good characters for the separa- tion of this form from the Palearctic caerulea Strém (borealis Zett.). The only distinctive structural character is the shorter and relatively broader form of the appendages of the female in septentrionalis, but as | have shown elsewhere these struc- tures vary greatly in length in most species of Aeshna and, as a rule, long appendages are relatively narrower than short ones. It must also be borne in mind that very few female specimens of septentrionalis exist in collections, and still fewer with unbroken appendages. In fact I have seen but two such specimens. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 77 The upper branch of Rs is generally somewhat less defi- nite in typical caerulea than in septentrionalis,the venation in general slightly more complex and the size slightly larger, but none of these characters are constant enough to be of any value in separating the two forms. The colour-pattern is also almost identical in the two forms but here there is one point of difference in the form of the first lateral thoracic bands. These are somewhat wider opposite the lowest bend in caerulea, the hind margin not being angularly bent as in septentrionalis but only slightly curved. This feature, however, seems too trivial to be made the basis of a specific distinction, and may prove to be inconstant when the species is better known. The distinctive characters for these forms given by Martin (’08) are incorrect. The line of contact of the eyes is quite as short in this form as in typical caerulea. Martin’s figure of the wings of septentrionalis belongs to some other species, one of the clepsydra group and probably interrupta. It may be noted that the maximum number of antenodal veins in the fore wings as given by Martin is 18, and the number in his figure is 19. The figures of the appendages are also apparently from one of the races of interrupta, though the profile view is as much like septentrionalis as any other species. Distribution—This is a circumboreal species, the race septentrionalis inhabiting the Hudsonian and northern part of the Canadian Zone from the Atlantic at least as far west as Great Slave Lake. Aeshna sitchensis Hagen. Celoae. ne. 5 Ole ES. es. 2: Zao. 22, fie. 4.3 pl. 23, figs. 1;2.) Aeschna sitchensis, Hagen, Syn. Neur. N.A., p. 119 (1861); Pr. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVIII, p. 33 (1875) ; Kirby, Syn. Cat. Neur. Od., p. 87 (1890); Hagen, Psyche, V, p. 353-355 (1890); Banks, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XIX, p. 353 (1892); Currie, Pr. Wash. Acad. Sci., III, pp. 217, 222 (1901); Skinner, Ent. News, XV, p. 288 (1904); Osburn, Ent. News, XVI, p. 186 (1905); Williamson, Ent. News, XVII, p. 135 (1906); Fletcher and Gibson, 38th Ann. Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont., p. 132 (1908); Martin, Cat Coll. Zool. Selys, X VIII, pp. 41, 79, fig. 37 (1908); Gen. Ins., CXV, p. 11 (1911). Aeshna sttchensis, Williamson, Ohio Nat., VII, p. 150 (1907); Walker, Can. Ent., XL, pp. 386, 390, 451 (1908); Fletcher and Gibson, 39th Ann. Rep. Ent. Soc . 78 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Ont., p. 114 (1909); Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 114 (1910); Hebard, Ent. News, XXI, p. 134 (1910). Gibson, 4oth Ann. Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont., p. 126 (1910). A rather small, moderately slender species. Male—Occiput, pale greenish yellow, broader than long, two-thirds to fully as long as the line of contact of the eyes. Frontal vesicle large, usually somewhat more than twice as broad as long, pale yellow with a black border of variable extent, usually confined to the ocular margin but sometimes surrounding the vesicle and always including the lateral ocelli. Eyes shorter than in the other North American Aeshnae except Ae. caerulea septentrionalis, their colour in the living insect unknown, in dried specimens dark olivaceous brown. T-spot heavy, the cross-bar thick, 2-2.5 mm., stem very short, .5--75. mm. broad; preocular band extending laterally a little beyond the limits of the T-spot, curving a little cephalad and terminating abruptly a little beyond the base of the antenna, its breadth near the end being about .5 mm. From this band a narrow black line passes ventrad along the ocular margin of the frons and nasus to'the tips of the lateral lobes of the latter. A black line on the fronto-nasal suture, not very heavy in the middle but ex- panding to form a broad black triangular area where it joins the marginal line. Face pale, dull greenish or olivaceous, sometimes dark brownish in dried specimens, paler next the ocular margin. Nasus short, the vertical dimension being about equal to one-third of the transverse, the two depressed areas near the lower margin not marked by black dots; lateral lobes not flaring, bluntly angulate, the outer margin straight. Rhinarium dark reddish brown. Labrum pale yellowish green, margined narrowly above, broadly below, with black. Labium pale yellow, the lateral lobes and the apical part of the median lobe reddish brown. Rear of head black. Thorax moderately dark brown with a bronzy lustre, rather thinly covered with greyish hairs, venter more or less covered with a greyish bloom. Dorsal thoracic bands reduced to a pair of small narrow pale spots about I mm. long, often ill-defined and sometimes indistinguishable in dried specimens. Antealar sinus without pale markings. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA #79 Ventro-lateral angles of meso-episternum with a pale spot. Lateral bands narrow and irregular, pale yellow or whitish, generally shading above, especially the second band, into pale bluish or blue. First band very strongly sinuate, being twice bent, at alternate angles, broadest at about the lower bend (.5-.75 mm.), narrowest above the second bend (.2-.5 mm.), more or less expanded toward the upper end. The lowest part of the band is oblique, bounding the humeral suture, the middle part nearly horizontal, the upper part sub-vertical. Second band nearly straight behind, con- stricted and sometimes nearly divided by the deep excava- tion of the front margin, the breadth below the constriction .4-.75 mm.; expanding at the upper end to about 2 or 2.5 mm. Behind the upper bend in the first band is a narrow sinuate pale streak. Spots at bases of wings above pale yellowish. Legs dark reddish brown, under side of femora nearly black, no pale streak on fore femora. Abdomen 4.5 times as long as thorax and slightly longer than hind wing, rather slender, considerably constricted before the middle of 3, thence expanding on this segment to nearly its full width, which is attained at the apex of 4; sides of 9 not at all divergent caudad, continuous with those of 10. Seg. 1 without a ventral tubercle, auricles on 2 with 3 teeth (rarely 2), tergal margins of 2 subangulate, widely separate at base, but closely approximated a little beyond the middle. Spines of the anterior lamina long, reaching caudad a little beyond the hamular processes, stout at base, and proximally directed caudad, thence tapering and curving ventrad to the finely pointed apices, which project distinctly below the level of the tergal margins. Hamular processes very large, triangular; bases rounded, apices acute, directed cephalad; inner margins straight and attingent along their entire length, considerably elevated. Hamular folds small, close together, nearly or quite covered in a direct ventral view by the hamular processes, with which they are connected by arather low ridge. Lateral carinae on 7 and 8 straight. Dorsum of 10 with a fairly prominent median sub-basal tooth and one or two minute ones on each side of it. 80 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Superior appendages more or less granulate, about as long as the last two segments, their bases slender and about one-third as broad as the space between them, expanding gradually on the inner margin to the middle or a little be- yond, when the breadth is about one-fifth of the length, thence narrowing slightly to the rotundo-angulate apices, which terminate in a small abruptly decurved spine; outer margin moderately convex, inner margin (vertical view) gently concave at the proximal half, straight, or nearly so, in the distal half. Superior carina arising in a basal dorsal tooth, partly concealed by the tergum of 10, percurrent, though often indistinct in the basal third, gradually and moderately elevated beyond, bearing 8 or 10 minute denticles on the apical third. In profile the outer margin appears nearly or quite straight, the part of the appendage internal to the superior carina forms a fairly prominent subangulate ventral carina, the deepest part of which is opposite the apical fifth or sixth of the appendage. Inferior appendage triangular, barely more than one-half to three-fifths as long as the superior pair, breadth at base equal to three-fifths of the length, sides straight, apex rounded; in lateral view very gently curved, the curve of the lower margins considerably stronger than that of the upper, tapering considerably in the distal two-thirds. Seg. 1 brown, dorsal spot blue, lateral spot pale greenish, 2.5-3 mm. in transverse dimension, acute above, widening below to I mm. or a little more. Seg. 2 brown. AL and ML pale greenish or bluish, separated except for a very short distance above the auricle by a black streak. AL oblong, about 1.5 mm. broad (trans- verse), covering more or less of the upper surface of the au- ricle, but not extending below the latter in front. ML a narrow streak generally extending somewhat farther dorsad than AL and nearly meeting MD. PL blue, about as long as broad, front margin roundish and almost touching the transverse carina. PD blue, nearly as long as PL, with which it is narrowly connected, connate with its fellow of the oppo- site side, concavely emarginate on each side of the median line, along which it is continued forward as a narrow streak WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 81 joining AD (a small yellowish triangle) at the front margin. -Segs. 3-10 brownish black, the pale areas except MD blue and somewhat larger than usual. AL on 3-8, large, quadrate, giving off narrow basal transverse offshoots which do not form complete rings; upper margins straight, inclined more or less dorso-caudad (except on 3). ML present on 3-8, large, subrhomboidal, somewhat rounded behind, not indented in front. MD on 3-8, greenish or yellowish, quad- rate and broadly confluent with ML on 3, triangular on 4-7 and connected with ML on 3 and sometimes narrowly on 4, small and transversely elongate on 8. PD increasing in length from I-1.25 mm. on 3 to I.75-2 mm. on 9 and Io. It covers about half the dorsum of 8, four-fifths or more of g and 10 and may be more or less connate with its fellow of the opposite side on all of these segments, though generally separate throughout. The front margins are rounded on the more anterior segments, somewhat irregular and indented on the last four or five, the inner margins posteriorly sub- parallel. PL on 3-7, rather large, connected behind on all the segments with PD, of which it forms a broad, some- what curved offshoot, pointed at the anterior ends. Wings of average size and usual form, the hind wing very slightly shorter than abdomen, hyaline, costal margin moderately dark brown; pterostigma long, dark brown, yellowish beneath; membranule uniform smoky brown, extending caudad fully as far as the cross-vein of the anal triangle, which is 2-celled.1. One or 2 cells between A2 and A3 at their origin. Rs forking under the proxi- mal end of the stigma or the first postnodal cell before it, in the hind wing occasionally opposite the distal half of the second cell before it; the fork distinct but the upper branch is slenderer and comes off at a much greater angle than the lower branch; 2-3 rows of cells between the forks at the level of the distal end of the stigma and 2-4 cells between them at the margin, towards which the forks are often slightly convergent. Two rows of cells between Rs and M2 fora 1] have a specimen from the Isle d’Orleans, Quebec, in which a minutethird cell is present on each side, including the outer basal angle. 82 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA considerable distance before and after the point of forking. Rspl gently sinuate, 4-5 rows of cells between it and Rs where most widely separated. Mia arising under the stigma at a point about opposite the middle. Antenodals Satis postnodals shia CuCr oe Sp gee 10-11 II-15 5-6 1-2 Female—Abdomen about as long as the hind wing, deeper than in the male, especially at 3, the dorsal and ventral surfaces of which appear straight in profile. Seg. 3 about as long as I+2 or 4. Genital valves barely longer than the dorsum of 9, ventral margin in profile nearly straight, apices scarcely elevated. Lateral carinae percurrent, very prominent and of nearly equal height throughout; the space enclosed by them, in ventral view, widening a little from the base to about three-tenths of the length, where the breadth is equal to about two-fifths of the length, thence tapering evenly to the narrow pointed apices. Ventral surface of valves strongly declivent, distinctly grooved inside the lateral carinae; styli about half as long as dorsum of 10 (.6 mm.); basal plate of ovipositor of moderate size, the posterior margin straight or indistinctly bilobed. Appendages about as long as dorsaofg+1o, lanceolate, broadest about the middle, where the breadth is about one- fourth of the length. Apices tapering but little more abruptly than the bases, rotundo-angulate with a small terminal tooth; both margins evenly convex, the curve of the inner somewhat stronger than that of the outer. The colour-pattern differs from that of the male in the usual way. Dorsal thoracic bands represented by a pair of minute ill-defined spots, or absent; lateral bands in the New- foundland specimen broader than in any of the males seen. Abdominal spots PD considerably smaller than in the male and more widely separated, especially on 8 and 9g, the inter- vening space being somewhat more than I mm. broad on 8; lateral spots considerably larger than in the male. PL large, quadrate, connected narrowly with PD, and confluent on 2 with ML. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA = 83 The colour of the face and thoracic bands seems to have been about the same in the Newfoundland female as in the male. The lateral bands in the Isle Royale specimen are wholly greenish yellow. Of the abdominal spots, PD appears to have been a yellowish green, MD yellow and the lateral spots green on seg. I, bluish green on the others. The wings are hyaline in the Newfoundland and Burrough’s Bay speci- mens, somewhat smoky in the one from Isle Royale. No doubt considerable variation occurs in the females of this as in other species of Aeshna. Measurements—Thor. & 9-10, 99; abd. o& 40-44.5, 9 38.5-40; seg. 3. o’ 6.75-8, 2 5.7-6; depth seg. 2 & 4-4.4, 24.5-4.75 ; depth ‘seg: 3.\0" 1-5-2, 2 3-25 ; apps: |\o" 4-4-7; 9 3.5-3-753; gen. v. 2.2-2.25 ; h.w. co 38-40.5, 2 36.5-40; width h.w. co II-12.3, 9 12-12.5; pter. o 3.75-4, 2 4.5-5. Type— ov, Mus. Comp. Zoology—Sitka, Alaska. Material determined — 15 3 62. NEWFOUNDLAND: (R. Thaxter, M.C.Z., 2c 1 ¢); Bayof Islands, July 7, 1901 (D.A. Atkinson, coll. Williamson, 17 1 9). QuEeBEc: Ellis Bay, Anticosti Is., Sept. 12, 1910 (E. V. Cowdry, coll. Walker, 1 o'); Levis (T. W. Fyles, coll. Walker, 167) ; Isle d’Orleans, Aug. 26, 1904 (Walker, 1 o’). ONTARIO: De Grassi Pt., Lake Simcoe, July 1, 1905 (A. L. Walker, 1 oc’); Sault Ste. Marie, Sept. 14, 1907 (Donaldson, coll. Williamson, 1). MIcH- IGAN: Isle Royale, Aug. 21, 1905 (C. C. ApAms, Univ. Mich.,1 07). MINNESOTA: Duluth, Sept. 2 (O. Sacken, M.C.Z., 1c). ManitosBa: Winnipeg Beach, L. Win- nipeg, Sept. 6, 1909 (J. B. Wallis, 1c") ; Westbourne, Aug. 19, 1908 (J. B. Wallis, coll. Walker, 1 co’). SASKATCHEWAN (Scudder, Kennicott, M.C.Z., 2 & 19). NORTHWEST TERRITORY: Fort Resolution,Great Slave Lake, July 1862 (Kennicott, M.C.Z., 1@). “British AMERICA” (Scudder, M.C.Z., 1 9). ALASKA: Sitka, aie Io’, type); Burrough’s Bay, Aug. 5, 1894 (J.A. Cadenhead, coll. Walker, rie): Distribution—Canadian and Hudsonian Zones. Most of the records of this insect are from the southern part of its area of distribution, where it is rare and local. The single specimen from Lake Simcoe must be regarded as a straggler from the north, as it is certainly not native there. This specimen is the largest that I have seen. Aeshna juncea Linné. (Pita2 ae, 6. pl. 05, hes. 3, 345 pl 18, figs. 3, gars pl. 23, figs. 3-4.) Libellula juncea, Linné, Syst. Nat. 1, p. 544 (1758.) Aeshna juncea, Stephens, Ill. Brit. Ent.,6, p. 84 (1835); Evans, Brit. Lib., p. 21, pl. 11, fig. 2 (1845); Calvert, Occ. Pap. Bost. Soc. N.H., VII, 6, p. 23 (1905); Williamson, Ohio Nat.,VII, p. 150 (1907); Walker, Can. Ent., XL, pp. 385, 390, 451, pl. 10, figs. 1, 2, 5 (1908); Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 111 (1910). 84 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Aeschna juncea, Selys, Mon. Lib. Eur., p. 106 (1840); Hagen, Stett. Ent. Zeit., XVII, p. 369 (1856); Hagen, Syn. Neur. N.A., p. 120 (1861); Pr. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVIII, p. 35 (1875); Ris, Faun. Helv., p. 25 (1885); Kirby, Syn. Cat. Neur. Od., p. 87 (1890); Banks, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XIX, p. 353 (1892) ; Calvert, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc.,XX, p. 199, 207 (1893); Wallengren, Ent. Tidsk., XV, p. 256 (1894); Calvert, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., X XV, p. 54 (1898); Lucas, Brit. Drag., p. 190, pl. 16, o& @ (1900) ; Currie, Pr. Wash. Acad. Sci., III, p. 219 (1901); Wil- liamson, Ent. News, XIII, p. 146 (1902) ; Williamson, Ent. News, XIV, p. 7, pl. 2, fig. 1 (1903); Osburn, Ent. News, XVI, p.190 (1905); Williamson, Ent. News, XVII, p. 134, 135 (1906); Martin, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys., XVIII, pp. 34, 82, fig. 29 (1908); Cockerell, Ent. News, XIX, pp. 455. 457-459 (1908); Martin, Gen. Ins., CXV, p. 11, pl. 1, figs. 1-8b (1911). Libellula ocellata, Mueller, Nova Acta Leop. Carol. Acad., III, p. 125 (1867). Aeschna ocellata, Hagen, Syn. Lib. Eur., p. 54 (1840). Aeschna rustica, Zetterstedt, Ins. Lapp., p. 1040 (1840). Aeschna picta, Charpentier, Lib. Eur., p. 112, pl. 20, 7 9 (1840). Aeschna picta var. caucasica, Kolenati, Mel. Ent., V., p. 114 (1846). Aeschna caucasica, Selys, Rev. Odon., p. 300 (1850). ae propingua, Scudder, Pr. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., X, p. 215 (1866) [in part]. A rather stoutly-built species, of medium or somewhat less than medium size, though attaining a large size in Europe. Male—Occiput light yellow, sometimes darkened at apex, distinctly broader than long, often twice as broad, and from one-fifth to two-thirds as long as the line of contact of the eyes. Frontal vesicle more than twice as broad as long, generally wholly yellow above, except a small area around the lateral ocelli and a narrow hind margin, but sometimes the yellow area is confined to the anterior half or two-fifths. Eyes emerald green above, fading below to pale yellowish green and pale blue behind, the hind margin above greenish yellow. Preocular band about 2.5-3 times as broad, at base of antennz, as one of the lateral ocelli, narrowed to a thread line on the sides of the frons and nasus. T-spot heavy, but with a rather slender stem, the sides of which are slightly divergent or subparallel, cross-bar 2.5-3 mm., stem .5-.6 mm. broad in-front, .7--8 mm. broad behind. Frons and nasus yellow or greenish yellow, more or less infuscated just below the T-spot; a heavy dark brown line on the fronto-nasal suture, narrowing laterally, and two impressed dark brown dots near the lower margin of the nasus. Lateral lobes of the nasus rotundo-angulate, somewhat flaring. Rhinarium dark red- dish brown, with a yellowish upper margin. Labrum yellow or greenish yellow, with upper and lower black marginal lines. (In one male from the Bighorn Mts., Wyo., it is com- WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 85 pletely surrounded by a heavy black margin.) Labium light yellow, more or less infuscated towards the margins. Rear of head black. Thorax rather heavily built, dark reddish brown. Dor- sal bands pea-green, 4 mm. long .4-.75 mm.broad at the middle, straight or slightly curved, sides nearly parallel, lower ends pointed, separated by 4-4.5 mm., upper ends generally some- what expanded, .75-1.3 mm. broad, separated by 1.3-2.3 mm. A green spot in the antealar sinus and sometimes an ill-de- fined humeral streak. Lateral bands broad, straight, green- ish yellow, pale blue at the upper ends, surrounded by an ill- d fined dark margin; first band rounded at lower end, near which it is 1.25-1.5 mm. broad, gradually tapering to about half that breadth at the upper end, from which no offshoot is given off; margins nearly straight. Second band rounded at the lower end, which is generally slightly narrower than the upper end, sides straight. Between the two bands are two elongated yellowish spots, sometimes united into an undulate streak. Spots at bases of wings above light yellow, those on the tergum between the wings, pale greenish blue. Legs black, the posterior surfaces of the fore coxae and bases of fore femora pale yellowish. Abdomen nearly or quite 4.5 times as long as the thorax, strongly constricted before the middle of 3, widening to about the apex of 4 and narrowing again slightly on the posterior 4 or 5 segments, though generally expanding slightly on 7. Seg. 1 without a ventral tubercle; spinulose area on ventral surface of 2 generally restricted to the apical fourth; auricles with 3-5 teeth; tergal margins angularly approximated op- posite the sheath of the penis. Spines of the anterior lamina long, projecting below the tergal margins, curved ventrad and inclined caudad and slightly laterad, stout at the base but tapering to a fine point. Hamular processes long, slender, spine-like, slightly hooked at the tips, inclined ventrad and mesad, the tips often overlapping a little. Hamular folds separate from the hamular processes, and somewhat widely separated from one another, rather small and contracted, the outer and posterior margins meeting at a rotundo-acute angle. Seg. 3 one-fifth to one-third longer than 1+2 or 4, the 86 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA relation depending upon climate (vide postea). Lateral carinae on 8 not angulate, obsolete on the basal half of 9, generally distinct on the apical half. Dorsum of Io with a prominent median tooth between two pairs of much smaller teeth. Superior appendages as long as, or slightly shorter than, g+10, their basal breadth about one-third of the space which separates them, gradually expanding to the middle or a little beyond (dorsal view), where the breadth is about one- fifth of the length; thence narrowing again somewhat to the rounded or somewhat angulate apices which bear, near the outer margin, a terminal decurved spine of variable size, generally small but sometimes well developed. Outer mar- gin in dorsal view moderately curved, inner margin feebly or scarcely at all sinuate. In profile view the outer margin is moderately to strongly curved upwards in the distal half, the lower margin minutely denticulate, slightly convex in the basal fifth, somewhat concave before the middle, produced in the distal three-fifths or two-thirds into a rather prominent angulate or arcuate inferior carina. Superior carina dis- tinct except at base, somewhat elevated and arcuate in the apical fourth, smooth. Inferior appendage triangular, about three-fifths as long as the superior pair, the breadth at base equal to three-fifths or two-thirds of the length, sides straight or barely convex, apex rather blunt and rounded, lateral mar- gins terminating above in a pair of minute recurved teeth; in profile gently curved, tapering evenly to the apices. Seg. 1 brown, dorsal spot blue, lateral spot greenish yellow, generally about 3mm. long and .75-1 mm. broad but much narrower in the Alaskan specimen and generally in European specimens. Seg. 2 brown, AML greenish yellow in front, blue be- hind, subrhomboidal,1.75-2 mm. broad at the middle, cover- ing sides of auricle, partly divided by the transverse carina, behind which it is produced dorsad as a narrow offshoot not quite reaching MD. PL yellow in front, shading into blue, about four-fifths as long as the posterior division of the seg- ment, fairly broadly connected with PD, which is confluent with its fellow of the opposite side, forming a broad blue band, WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 87 whose front margin is convexly curved on each side of the middorsal line, and from which a pale greenish median streak extends forward to the front margin, where it is somewhat ex- panded (AD). Segs. 3-10 brownish black, AD and MD pale green, PD blue, lateral spots bluish green, on 3 often blue. AL on 3-8, of moderate to small size; on 3, subtriangular, nearly as broad at base as long, upper margin straight, very oblique; on 4-5 or 6 giving off a small basal transverse offshoot which does not form a complete ring. ML on 3-8, of moderate size, en- larging to 6, angular with the upper margin very oblique on the more anterior segments, more rounded on the posterior segments, front margin not indented. AD represented on 3-8 by a minute spot; MD on 3-8, not connected with ML, a transverse streak on 8, transversely elongate-triangular on the other segments, the postero-lateral margins more or less con- cave. PD on 3-10, I-1.25 mm. long on 3, increasing to 1.5 mm. on 8, rounded in front; the space separating them gradually increasing from about .4 mm. on 3 to I or 1.25 mm. on 8, then decreasing again slightly; inner margins straight on 8 and 9, nearly parallel on 8, slightly divergent on 9, rounded on the other segments. PL on 3-5,-6 or -7, separate throughout from PD or narrowly connected on 3 only, triangular on the an- terior segments, becoming an elongate streak farther caudad, and finally a mere dot. Ventral surface of abdomen without pale markings. Wings hyaline to rather strongly flavescent, costal veins brown, ochre-yellow along the free margins, pterostigma long, reddish brown; membranule of hind wing smoky brown, with the basal fourth to more than one-half whitish, not reaching thecross-vein of the anal triangle, which is 2-celled. One or 2 cells between A2and A3 at their origin. Rs forking at the level of 1-2 (forewing) or 1-3 (hind wing) postnodal cells before the stigma,! the upper branch strongly curved proximally; 3 rows of cells between the forks at the level of the distal end of the stigma, and 3-6cells between them at the margin. Three or 4 rows of cells between Rs and Rspl at the level of widest separ- 1In European specimens the fork is often before the proximal end of the stigma. 88 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA near the point of forking. Mua arising beyond and some- times opposite the middle of the stigma. Antenodale 9°T3° CuCr 20) Spt aS as * II II-15 4-5 2(3) Female—Abdomen slightly shorter and considerably deeper than in the male, slightly longer than the hind wing. Dorsal and ventral surfaces of 3 nearly straight in profile. Apices of genital valves not at all elevated, compressed and rather broadly rounded as seen in profile, inner surface obliquely concave. Lateral carinae obscure and rounded at base, prominent in distal half, in profile sinuate, being more or less concave before the middle, convex beyond; in ventral view, sinuate, usually strongly so, being convex in the proxi- mal three-fifths or two-thirds, slightly concave or straight distally. Space enclosed by lateral carinae broadest just before the middle,where the breadth is about three-sevenths of the length, narrowing to about half this breadth before the apices. Ventral surfaces of valves feebly sulcate. Basal plate of ovipositor large, consisting of two rounded lobes, one on each side; lateral plates absent. Styli scarcely more than half as long as the dorsum of Io (.6 mm.). Appendages about as long as 9+10, expanding from the moderately slender bases by the curve of the inner margin to about three-fifths of the length, where the breadth is about one-fifth of the length, tapering rather abruptly to the rounded or rotundo-angulate apices, which usually terminate in a minute, barely projecting tooth. This tooth is occasionally well developed or may sometimes be absent. Outer margin nearlystraight, inner mar- gin more strongly curved. The dorsal thoracic bands are usually narrower than in the male and, as a rule, divided into an anterior longitudinal streak, and a posterior shorter transverse spot at the antealar sinus. The lateral thoracic bands and the lateral abdominal spots tend to be a little broader than in the male, particularly PL,which is represented on 2-7, and tends to be quadrate in form, and is separated from PD except sometimes on 2, where they may be narrowly confluent. On the same segment PL is broadly connected with AML and is sometimes , postnodals WaLkKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 89 narrowly joined with ML on 2. AL on 2, quadrate, connected below with ML. PD smaller than in the male, generally con- nate on 2, but separate in specimens from Alaska and in one from the Magdalen Islands. The ground colour is like that of the male except that the abdomen is reddish brown, darkened about the margins, sutures and pale areas. Considerable variation exists in the colour of the latter. I have taken both blue and yellow females at Nipigon, Ont., the colour of the former differing but little from that of the male except in the paler shade of blue. In the heterochromatic type all the pale markings are green or yellow. Both types are also represented in a series of British specimens received from Mr. K. J. Morton of Edin- burgh. In this series PD varies from blue to greenish yellow and the lateral spots from pea-green to pale yellowish green. The wings are sometimes hyaline, sometimes more or less flavescent and may be quite deeply suffused with brown. The pterostigma is considerably longer than in the male. The following colour notes were made on the day of capture from a female taken at Nipigon, Ont.: Occiput and frons greenish yellow, shading into light yellow slightly tinged with green on the lower part of the nasus and labium; eyes grey-green with a greenish yellow hind margin. Thorax olive-brown, paler beneath; lateral thoracic bands yellowish green, the lower part of the first band yellow. Abdomen brown, lateral spots on 1 and 2 yellowish green, on the remaining segments pea-green. PD yellowish green, be- coming pale green on g and Io. Measurements of North American specimens—Thor. o& 10.5-II, 9 10-10.2; abd. co 45.5-49.7, 2 42.5-48 ; seg. 3. oS 7.4-8.6, 2 6-7.1; depth seg. 2 @ 5-5.75, 2 5-6; depth seg. 3 2 3.75-4.33; apps. do’ 4.8-5.5, 9 4-4.75; gen. v. 2-2.33; h.w. o' 42-46, 2 39.5-46.5; width hw. @ 12-13, 9% 12.5-13.3; pter. o 3.6-4.25, 2 3.7-4.9. Measurements of British spectomens—Thor. o 10.5-11.5, 9 10.5-12; abd. & 47-54.5, 2 46-53-53 seg. 3 o 7-5-9, @ 6.5-8.33; depth seg. 2 o’ 5-6.5, 9 6-6.5; depth seg. 3 @ 4.25- 4.8; apps. co 4.6-5.5, 2 4.33-5.5; gen. V. 2.3-2.5; hw. o 43.5- 7 g0 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 47, 9 43-47; width h.w. o& 13-14, 9 13.5-15 ; pter. oS 4-4.75, 2 4-33-5-4- Nymph (pl.6,fig,1 ; pl.8,fig.1; pl.10,fig 1) —Eyes moderately prominent, the posterior margin about equal in length to the antero-posterior diameter; lateral margins of head somewhat more oblique than in clepsydra, canadensis, etc., the straight part but little longer than the width of the interocular space; postero-lateral corners of head broadly rounded, posterior region barely emarginate. Mentum of labium seven-elevenths as broad at base as at apex, the apical breadth a little more than two-thirds of the length; proximal three-fifths barely widening distad, the sides feebly arcuate, distal two- fifths with the sides rather strongly arcuate; middle lobe some- what narrow, obtusangulate; lateral lobes narrowing slightly distad, truncate but with the outer apical angle much rounded, the inner with a minute tooth. Supracoxal processes well developed, equal in length, acute, the posterior a little stouter than the anterior, the inter- vening space rectangular or slightly narrower than aright angle. Abdomen of average form, broadest at seg. 6; lateral spines present on segs. 6 to 9, those on 6 rudimentary, on 7 reaching half-way to the posterior margin, on 8 two-thirds of the way to the margin, on 9 not quite to the middle of Io. Lateral appendages ratherslender, half as long as the inferior pair (9), or slightly more (co); basal part of superior ap- pendage in the male about four-fifths as long as the lateral pair, its basal breadth a little less than its length, sides feebly emarginate, apex bluntly pointed. Genital valves nearly one- half as broad as long, not very deeply declivent, nearly or quite reaching the apical margin, the ovipositor slightly shorter. Head and thorax almost uniform brownish, sides of head and lateral margins above sometimes paler ; legs concolorous. Abdomen brownish; dorsal surface with two longitudinal pale bands, fairly well defined on the an- terior four or five segments, but fading caudad and becoming very faint or disappearing altogether at seg. 9.; median dark area between the bands but little or no darker than the gen- eral ground colour, but exhibiting a more or less distinct pale WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA QI median line in the anterior half or more of the abdomen; dorsal punctae dark but discrete; sides of abdomen brown, slightly paler outside the lateral scars, which form a pale inter- rupted wavy band, with a dark inner edge; lateral and dorso- lateral punctae dark brown, well marked; no pale mottlings between the lateral scars and the pale dorsal bands. Measurements—Length of body 39.5-42.8; mentum of labium 6.2-6.9; h.w. 8.4-9.8; h.f. 6.2-7.3; inf. apps. 4.2-4.8; gen. v. 1.9-2.4; width of head 7.75-8.5, of abdomen 7-8. Material determined —17 o& 19 9 (excl. Palearctic). QUEBEC: Grand Entry, Magdalen Is., June 30, r901 (D. A. Atkinson, coll. Williamson, 2 ¢& 19). NEw HAmMpsHIRE: White Mts., Aug. 22, 1862 (Scudder, M.C.Z., 1 o). OnTARIO: Nipigon, July 10, 1907, Aug. 28, 30, 1907, Aug. 4-8, 1910 (Fletcher, Walker, 6 o& 4 9). ALBERTA: Banff, July 17, 1902 (Osburn, N.B. Sanson, 29). British CoL_umBiA: Inverness, Aug. 1890 (Brit. Mus. 1 9). NorTH- WEST TERRITORY: Ft. Resolution, July, 1862 (Kennicott, M.C.Z.,2 @ 1 @). ALASKA: Bethel, Kuskoquin River (Acad. N.S. Phil., 167); Kodiak, July 20, 1899 (T. Kincaid, Harriman Exped. U.S.N.M., 1 o); Unga Is., Shumagins, July 17, 1899 (W. E. Ritter, Harriman Exped. U.S.N. M., 19). Wyomina: Shell Creek, Bighorn Mts., July 15, 1896 (Currie, U.S.N.M. 1 o). CoLorapo : “‘South- eastern part,’’ 10,000-11,000 ft. (Thos. S. Gillin, Acad. N.S. Phil., 2 @ 2 9). Corfi, Colorado Plains, 1872 (M.C.Z., 2 9). YELLOWSTONE : 1872 (Hayden, M.C.Z., 3 9). Arctic AMERICA: (Brit. Mus.,1 9). AlsoIc'! 9, without data. British specimens: 10 o 8 9. Merionethshire, England; Capel Cureg, Wales; Glasgow, and Glen Lochay, Scotland; and Emydale, Ireland. Nymphs—Cierfs, Switzerland, 1900 metres, July 27, 1909, 2 9, one trans- forming, the other about to transform; exuviae, 4 o § 9, one of the latter with teneral imago (Dr. F. Ris). Distribution—Circumboreal; in North America apparently most abundant in the Hudsonian Zone and not known from the Transition Zone. In Europe it ranges into warmer latitudes than in North America. Geographical vartations—Specimens from Alaska and the Magdalen Islands are somewhat smaller than those from Nipigon, the Bighorn Mts. and southwestern Colorado. The wings in the former specimens are slightly broader and the abdomen perceptibly shorter, particularly seg. 3, which is also relatively deeper. This variation in seg. 3 is most marked in the females and is correlated with variation in the length of the appendages, both being dependent upon climatic conditions (vide p. 26). The northern specimens are indistinguishable in form from British examples, but are, on the whole, decidedly smaller. The largest American specimens I have seen are from Ontario, Wyoming (Bighorn Mts.) and Colorado and 92 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA are about the size of average European individuals. Speci- mens from Kamtchatka and other parts of northeastern Asia are also smaller than those from Europe and are quite similar to Alaska specimens. No constant differences can be found between European and North American specimens of this species, but what is typical of the former is not always typical of the latter. The venation of the European specimens is more complex, as is indicated by the following analysis: ; 1. Rs tends to fork a little farther distad in European specimens, often under the proximal end of the stigma. 2. The number of rows of cells between the forks of Rs at the level of the distal end of the pterostigma is typically 3 in American, 4 in European specimens. In a female from Alaska, however, there are 4 regular rows in each wing and in several British specimens there are only 3 rows. When this is the case, however, there are usually indications of a fourth row. 3. In American specimens, there are 3 or 4 rows of cells between Rs and Rspl at the level of widest separation, there being 3rows in about 65 per cent. of cases. In European specimens there are typically 5 rows, often 6 and only occa- sionally 4 rows. 4. In American specimens there are 3 rows of cells between M4 and Mspl where these veins are most widely separated, in European specimens typically 4, though some- times 3 or 5 rows. In colour-pattern the differences are but slight. In the European specimens the yellow of the costal veins is more extensive and brighter in colour, the thoracic bands are generally somewhat narrower, the curved spot between the bands and the lateral spot of abdominal seg. 1 smaller. The front margin of the first lateral band is frequently slightly excavated above the middle, a feature not seen in American specimens. Habits—On the Nipigon River, where this species is fairly common, it flies over the open marshes and shallow reed-grown waters which border the river below the rapids. Specimens taken July 10 were teneral; on Aug. 4-8 they WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 93 were in good condition, while on Aug. 28-30, on which dates three females were captured, one was still fresh the other two somewhat the worse for wear. These were taken while Ovipositing among the reeds. The weather was dull, and one was taken in flight during a very light rain. Ris (’85) has given an interesting account of the habits of this insect in Switzerland, where they are apparently quite similar to their habits in Canada. Aeshna subarctica Walker. (Pl. 12, fig. 7; pl. 15, figs. 4, 4a; pl. 18, figs. 4, 4a; pl. 23, figs. 5, 6.) Aeschna juncea, Fletcher, 35th. Ann. Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont., p. 104 (1906). Aeshna subarctica, Walker, Can. Ent., XI, pp. 385, 390, 451 (1908); Mutt- kowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 114 (1910). Aeshna subarctica, Martin, Gen. Ins., CXV, p. 11 (1911). Male—Occiput lemon-yellow, 1.5-2 times as broad as long and 1-3.5 times aslong as the line of contact of the eyes. Frontal vesicle more than twice as broad as long, lemon- yellow, with a black posterior border. Eyes sea-green or grey-green to light brownish olivaceous with bluish grey reflections; a small dark transverse streak above, the pos- terior border yellowish green above, whitish or very pale green laterally. Preocular band 2.5-3 times as broad, at the base of the antenne, as one of the lateral ocelli, narrow- ing on the sides to little more than half its dorsal width, except at the fronto-nasal suture, where it is generally ex- panded. T-spot heavy, 2.8-3 mm., stem .3-.7 mm. broad in front, 1 mm. broad behind, the sides divergent. Frons and nasus bright yellow, often with an olivaceous tinge, paler along the ocular margin and on upper surface of frons. A heavy black line on the fronto-nasal suture, broadest in the middle. Two black impressed dots above the lower margin of the nasus. Lateral lobes of nasus somewhat flaring, rotundo-obtusangulate. Rhinarium dull dark brown or plumbeous. Labrum light yellow, margined narrowly above, more broadly below, with black. Labium pale dull yellow or greenish, the middle lobe with an ill-defined median blackish spot next the margin. Rear of head black. Thorax fairly robust, dark brown with an olivaceous tinge deepening to nearly black around the lower parts of 94 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA the lateral bands. Dorsal bands yellowish green, complete, somewhat curved, strongly divergent below, about 4 mm. long and .7-.8 mm. broad at the middle, tapering towards each end, the lowerends acute and separated by 4.5 mm., the upper ends suddenly expanded, I-1.5 mm. broad, and separ- ated by about 1.5 mm. An ill-defined elongate greenish spot generally present just in front of the humeral suture. Lateral bands of moderate width, light blue above, greenish yellow below; first band rounded at the lower end, where the breadth is 1.3-1.5 mm. thence narrowing to less than .5 mm. a little above the middle, where it is bent upwards at a slight angle, thence widening to about I mm. at the upper end from which a narrow posterior offshoot arises. Front margin obtusangularly excavated, hind margin nearly straight. Second band rounded or subangulate at the lower end, a little above which the breadth is 1.1-1.35 mm., narrowing to the middle or upper third by a broad rounded excavation of the front margin and widening again to the upper end to a breadth of about 1 mm., or slightly more; hind margin straight. Between the two lateral bands are two yellow spots, one larger one partly enclosing the metastigma, and a smaller one above it. Metasternum with two pale yellow- ish antero-lateral spots. Interalar spots pale blue, spots at bases of costal veins of the wings yellow. Legs reddish brown, tibiae and tarsi and underside of femora darker; a pale streak upon the outer surface of the fore trochanters and bases of the fore tibiae. Abdomen a little more than 4.5 times as long as thorax, of average build, considerably inflated at base, strongly constricted before the middle of 3, thence expanding to the apical margin of 4; sides of 9 feebly divergent caudad. Segs. 1+2 about as long as 4; seg. 3 rather more than one-third longer. Sternum of 1 without a tubercle. Auricles with 3-5 teeth. Tergal margins approximated on each side of the penis. Spine of the anterior lamina long, slender and sharp- pointed, directed ventrad and curved slightly caudad, the apices reaching well below the level of the tergal margins. Hamular processes having the form of elongate, flattened and slightly curved plates, rounded at the apices, rather WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 95 longer than the spines and directed ventrad, mesad and slightly caudad. Hamular folds separate from the processes, difficult to see, except in a strong light, as they are sunk deep in the genital fossa and are partly concealed by the hamular pro- cesses in a direct ventral view. The anterior part of the fold is very small, but the posterior portion is large and pro- longed caudad, forming with its fellow of the opposite side, with which it is closely united, a somewhat rounded promin- ence (pl. 12, fig. 7). Lateral carinae of 8 nearly straight, those of 9 more or less obsolete in the basal half. Dorsum of 10 with a prominent but not large median tooth, and one or two minute ones on each side of it. Superior appendages slightly longer than 9+10, moder- ately slenderat base, the breadth here being one-third to four- ninths that of the intervening space; expanding to about the middle or a little beyond; the slender proximal portion, which is about one-fourth to one-third of the total length, passing almost insensibly into the broader distal part, which is one-sixth to one-fifth of the total length ; apices rounded or angulate, terminating in an abruptly decurved tooth of variable size, being sometimes minute, sometimes fairly well developed; outer margin gently and regularly convex, inner margin gently sinuate, being proximally con- cave, distally convex; a prominent dorsal tooth at the ex- treme base under cover of the tergal margin of 10; superior carina distinct, except on the slender basal part, the apical fourth or third somewhat elevated and gently arcuate, without any indications of denticles. In profile view the ap- pendage is more or less distinctly undulate in the basal half (in one specimen from Nipigon the undulation is scarcely notice- able), curved gently upwards distally ;internal part in thedis- tal three-fifths to two-thirds bent downwards forming an arc- uate inferior carina. Inferior appendage triangular, barely more than half to three-fifths as long as the superiors, basal breadth three-fifths of the length, sides straight, the dorso-lateral margins terminating in a pair of minute preapical teeth, apex rounded; in profile curved as in juncea, tapering con- siderably from the middle to the apex. Colour-pattern of abdomen—Seg. 1 brown, dorsal spot 96 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA narrow, light blue, lateral spot pale greenish yellow to bluish green, elongate triangular, 2.5-3 mm. long, .7-.8 mm. broad. Seg. 2 brown, AML greenish yellow to pale blue, or yellow in front of the transverse carina, blue behind, cover- ing upper surface of auricles, partly divided by the trans- verse carina, in front of which it is I-1.5 mm. broad, and extending dorsad behind the suture as a band 2.5-3 mm. long, which is not confluent with MD. MD of the usual form, yellow. PL greenish yellow to pale blue, 1.3-1.5 mm. long, rounded in front, narrowly connected with PD, or barely separated from it. PD light blue, somewhat shorter than PL, its front margin rather deeply concavo-emarginate on each side of the middle, along which a narrow greenish streak passes to the front margin. Segs. 3-10 dark brown, the pale markings variable in colour. AL on 3-8, greenish blue to pale blue, rather small; on 3 triangular, about 2.5 mm. broad at base, apex reaching the transverse carina; on the succeeding segments semi- elliptical, not connected with a basal ring but giving off a short basal offshoot. ML on 3-8, greenish blue to pale blue, fairly large, increasing in size to 6 or 7, subrhombic on the anterior segments, becoming rounded caudad, slightly emarginate in front. AD represented by a small yellow dot on 3-8. MD on 3-8 or -9, bright yellow, separate from ML, somewhat L-shaped on most of the segments but re- duced to a pair of short transverse spots on 8 and of minute dots when present on 9. PD on 3-10, pale green to pale blue, 1 mm. long on 3, increasing to 1.25-1.75 on 8, sub-semi- circular on 3-7, the rounded inner margins separated by about .6mm.; triangular orsubtriangular on 8 and separated poster- iorly by about I mm., subovate and about the same distance apart on 10. PL on 3-8, unconnected with PD, except some- times narrowly on 3, straight and elongate on the more an- terior segments, dwindling caudad to a dot. Wings hyaline, costal veins edged with ochre-yellow; pterostigma rather long, dark brown; membranule of hind wing dark smoky brown, the basal fourth or less pale yellow- ish, not quite reaching the cross-vein of the anal triangle, WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 97 which is 2-celled. One cell between A2 and A3at their origin. Rs forking at the level of 1-3 postnodal cells before the stigma, the upper branch proximally rather strongly curved; 3 (rarely 2) rows of cells between the forks at the level of the distal end of the stigma and 3-6 cells between them at the margin. Three or 4 (rarely 5) rows of cells between Rs and Rspl where most widely separated. Mra arising behind the middle or distal half of the eae Antenodals ae as. I postnodals slat “ai, CuCr o7 Some 34. =E5 13-16 5-5 2-3 ese lcainiy an about 4.5 times as long as the thorax and about as long as the hind wing. Seg. 3 rather deep, moderately constricted, about equal in length to 1 and 2 and about 1 mm. longer than 4. Genital valves short, not longer than the dorsum of g, strongly compressed on the distal half, lateral carinae distinct only in the distal three-fifths, in profile arcuate, especially distally, in ventral view parallel in the distal half, divergent and indistinct proximally. The ventral surface of the valves is not developed in the distal half and proximally slopes: outward, passing almost insensibly into the lateral surfaces. Apices strongly compressed and _ blade-like, in profile broad and rounded, with a very minute tuft of hair. Styli .5-.6 mm. long. Basal plate of ovipositor unusually large, consisting of a pair of rounded lobes, one on each side. Appendages about as long as 8+g9, lanceo- late, considerably slenderer at base than at apex, greatest width at three-fifths to two-thirds the length, equal to one- fifth or three-tenths of the length ; curve of outer margin very slight, that of the inner margin much stronger ; apices rounded, with or without a small terminal tooth. The pterostigma is somewhat longer than in the male. Ks forks at the level of 1-2 postnodal cells before the stigma or beneath its anterior end. Two cells are present between A2 and A3 at their origin. The dorsal thoracic bands are narrower than in the male and are sometimes complete but generally divided into an upper shorter and lower more elongate spot, or the latter only 98 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA may be present. Lateral bands of similar form to those of the male but slightly broader, the intermediate spots often con- fluent. PD somewhat smaller than in the male, all the other spots larger, AL and AD often connected by complete basal rings. AL on 3 trapezoidal, confluent with ML. PL large, subquadrate, separate throughout from PD, but generally confluent with ML on 2 and sometimes also on 3. PD ir- regularly quadrate on 8 and 9. Dichromatism occurs in this species and the colour vari- ations are very similar to those of Ae. juncea. In several specimens seen in life the coloration was almost like that of the male, the lateral abdominal spots being pale blue or blujsh white and PD varying from very pale blue to greenish. In others all the pale markings are yellow or greenish yellow. The eyes vary from grey-green to Indian yellow and the wings from hyaline(generally in homceochromatic individuals) to deeply flavescent(generally in heterochromatic individuals). Measurements— f@ 10-1, @ 9.5-10.5; abd. o@ 47-51.5, 2 43.5-49; seg. 3 co’ 8.7-9.5, 2 7-7.6; width seg. 2 o 5-5.5, 2 5.25-5.7; width seg. 3 co 3-3.75; apps. o& 5.3-6, 9 5.33-6; gen. v.1.8-2; h.w. o& 42-46, 9 39.5-44.5; width h.w.o 12-12.5, 9 12-14; pter. co’ 3.6-4.2, 9 4.2-4.7. Types— of and 9, coll. Walker—Nipigon, Ont. Nymph—Among the nymphs and exuviae which I col- lected at Nipigon, Ont., in August, 1910, there are two species of Aeshna which I had not met with before. As the nymphs of only two of the six species of this genus that occur at Nipi- gon are unknown, viz., Ae. subarctica and Ae. interrupta, it is reasonable to refer the two unknown nymphs to these two species. The form referred to Ae. subarctica is placed under this species for the following reasons: 1. It resembles the nymph of juncea, the only near ally of subarctica, very closely in both structure and colour-pat- tern, and particularly in the details of the labium. One of the most marked differences is the distinctly longer lateral appendages of the female. As these organs are the rudiments of the appendages of the adult this is what we should expect ae - WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 99 in view of the similar difference in the length of the appendages of the adult females of these two species. 2. Of the two nymphs only one exuvia of the form refer- red to subarctica was found, against fiveof the form referred to interrupta, and of the adults of these two species interrupta is by far the more abundant. 3. The form referred to interrupta most closely resembles that of eremita, the nearest relative of this species. Head similar to that of juncea, except that the postero- lateral angles are more prominent, though well rounded off, being nearly as in interrupta. Labium indistinguishable from that of juncea. Supracoxal processes well-developed, subequal, the an- terior considerably slenderer than the posterior. Abdomen a little slenderer than in juncea, broadest at segs. 6 and 7. Lateral spines present on segs. 6-9, those on 6 mere rudiments, those on 7 distant from the posterior margin by about their own length and on 8 by about one-fifth their length, on 9 reaching to the middle of 10. Lateral appendages three-fifths as long as the inferior pair. Genitalia of female barely reaching the posterior margin of seg. 9, the genital valves more steeply declivent and somewhat narrower than in juncea. Colour-pattern similar to that of juncea, differing only in the more faintly marked punctae, which are but little darker than the ground colour, and in the somewhat larger size of the dorso-lateral punctae. In the young nymphs there is a very dark brown band on the sides of the head and prothorax (also distinguishable in the exuvia on the prothorax and anterior part of the mesothorax) and a very distinct medio-dorsal pair of narrow dark brown longitudinal streaks. These may also be seen in the nymph of juncea. Measurements—Length of body 40 ; mentum of labium 6; h.w. 9; h.f. 7; inf. apps. 4.5; gen. v. 2.2; width of head 7.5; width of abdomen 7. Distribution, etc-— This species inhabits the Canadian Zone, from the Atlantic coast to Manitoba. The single female from Lake Simcoe was probably a wanderer from the north, as 100 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA I have collected there for many seasons and have never seen another specimen. Ae. subarctica is closely related to Ae. juncea, the most important differences being found in the accessory genitalia of the male. Apart from these, however, the two species may be readily separated by the differences in the form of the later- al thoracic bands, and by the length of the appendages, particularly in the female. These two species fly together at Nipigon, Ont., and I was unable to distinguish them in flight, nor could I detect any differences in habits. Aeshna interrupta Walker. With the typical form of this species I have united Ae. lineata, interna and nevadensis,as the study of a large series of specimens seems to indicate that these forms are but geo- graphical races of one and the same species. The chief specific characters are as follows: frontal vesicle rather large, a black or dark brown line on the fronto-nasal suture, dorsal thoracic bands reduced to small isolated spots,or absent, lateral bands onemillimetre, or less; in breadth, either straight and sometimes reduced to a mere line or divided each into an upper and lower spot. Sternum of abdominal segment 1 without a tubercle but with numerous spines near the posterior margin. Abdominal spots well developed or but little reduced, blue, except, as a rule, MD, which is generally greenish or yellowish. Lateral spot on I very small or absent. Venter wholly black. Rs forking at the level of 1-2 postnodal cells before the pterostigma, Mia arising opposite or beyond the distal end of the stigma. Male—Anal triangle 2-celled, auricles with 3-5 teeth, ter- gal margins bounding the genital fossa not approximated op- posite the sheath of the penis, considerably elevated: behind. Spines of the anterior lamina very short and blunt, directed ventrad and caudad, their apices sunk below the level of the tergal margins and often concealed by them. Hamular processes directed ventrad and mesad, short and very broad, their internal margins rounded and terminating in a minute but well-rounded tubercle. Hamular folds continuous with WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA IOI the hamular processes, well developed, ear-like, closely ap- proximated mesially, their lateral margins regularly curved and passing insensibly into those of the hamular processes, apices rounded. Superior appendages expanding -unsymmetrically from the base, the inner margins more or less sinuate, the superior carinae gradually and moderately elevated, usually with a few minute denticles near the apices, which are typically rounded and not at all decurved. Terminal tooth small or absent. Inferior appendage triangular, three-fifths to-two-thirds as long as the superior appendages. Female—Genital valves extending caudad about as far as the apical dorsal margin of 9, apices not at all elevated; lateral carinae percurrent, very prominent, in laterdl view irregularly arcuate concealing the ventral surface except near the base, highest a little beyond the middle, straight or slightly depressed before the apices; in ventral view divergent in the proximal third, thence converging to the small squarely cut apices; breadth of enclosed space about one-third of the length. Ventral surfaces of valves sulcate throughout, most deeply towards the apices. Styli rather more than half as long as the dorsum of Io (.66 mm.). Basal plate of ovipositor of moderate size, posterior margin straight, lateral plates distinct. Ap- pendages slightly shorter to slightly longer than 8+9, gradu- ally expanding from the slender base to three-fifths or two- thirds the length, where the breadth is about one-fifth of the length, thence narrowing somewhat tothe rounded apices, which only rarely have a minute terminal tooth. Inner mar- gin more strongly curved than the outer margin. This species may be separated into four geographical races by the following table: A. Lateral thoracic bands each divided into a superior and inferior spot (in the female sometimes only strongly con- stricted); superior appendages of the male without any in- dication of a ventro-internal basal tubercle; their apices generally without a terminal tooth; appendages of the female typically as long as, or longer than, 8+9, their apices broadly SENT Nha hee As Uae... do al tnterrupta. AA. Lateral thoracic bands not divided. 102 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA B. Superior appendages of the male without a ventro- internal basal tubercle. C. Lateral thoracic bands about I mm. broad near the lower end, somewhat narrowed at the middle; inner mar- gin of superior appendages of the male in profile slight- ly concave before the middle, in dorsal view strongly sinuate, the breadth of the appendage increasing rapidly from the basal fourth, so that at the middle it is fully twice as broad as at base, thence scarcely narrowing to the well-rounded apices, which bear, near the outer margin,a prominent tooth; inferior appen- dage slightly more than half as long as the superior appendages. Female unknown...........mevadensis. CC. Lateral thoracic bands linear, their breadth rarely more than .75 mm.;inner margin of superior appen- dages of male in dorsal view very gently sinuate, in profile straight or slightly convex before the middle, the inferior carina rather low, its angle rounded or obsolete; breadth of appendage at middle scarcely twice that at the extreme base, thence narrowing gradually to the rounded or bluntly angulate apices, which are normally without a terminal tooth; superior carina but little elevated, finely denticulated or smooth, inferior appendage three-fifths to two-thirds as long as the superior appendages. Appendages of the female usually somewhat shorter than 8+9, their apices less broadly rounded than in tnterrupta....... lineata. BB. Superior appendages of the male with a low basal tubercle on the ventro-internal surface ; inner margin in dorsal view gently sinuate, in profile slightly concave beyond the middle, beyond which it forms a prominent, more or less obtusangulate, inferior carina; breadth at middle about twice that of the extreme base, thence narrowing gradually to the more or less acute apices, which terminate in a small spine ; superior carina moderately elevated before the apex, with a few minute denticles ; lat- eral thoracic bands about 1 mm. broad below, nar- rower above ; appendages of the female as in lineata. To 5 ahr ERR «: w'-3 " Aeschna umbrosa, Muttkowski, Bull. Wis. N.H. Soc., VI, p. 167 (1908) ;. Smith, Ins. N. J., p. 78 (1909). This widespread species varies considerably in the differ- ‘ent parts of its geographical range. Two principal varieties may be distinguished, the one occurring in the eastern half of the continent, the other from the Rocky Mountains west- ward. These may be separated as follows: PD much reduced, greenon segs. 5-10 or on all the seg- ments; seg. 3 variable, but generally rather long and slender; abe MM un eee aN lication grog 0) ob ENS fh ih Ae. u. umbrosa. PD of the usual size, blue except on 10; seg. 3 of ordinary ese Pea ol Ve CSS cor cae RU a GE Ae. u. occidentalts. Aeshna umbrosa umbrosa Walker. (Pl. 14; fig.2; pl. 17, figs. 2, 2a; pl. 20, figs. 3, 3a;-pl. 26, figs. 5, 6.) 166 WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Male—Occiput lemon-yellow, two-fifths to one-half as long as the line of contact of the eyes. Frontal vesicle greenish yellow, this colour extending laterally to the lateral ocelli. Eyes above rather dark olivaceous green with a transversely elongate black spot, partly surrounded by a diffuse violet margin; paler below; edged behind with bright yellow or greenish yellow. Preocular band, at base of anten- nz, rarely more than twice as broad as one of the lateral ocelli; reduced on the sides of the frons to a narrow line, which disappears at the nasus. T-spot of moderate size, 2-2.33 mm., stem very variable, frequently a mere line, .25 mm. broad, sometimes as narrow as this in front but expand- ing to .5 or .7 mm. at base; more rarely equal throughout. Frons and nasus varying from pale green to comparatively dark olivaceous; pale yellowish laterally and on dorsal surface of frons. Fronto-nasal suture often with a very narrow brown line. Rhinarium generally darker than the other pale por- tions of the face, more or less plumbeous. Labrum pale to moderately dark dull greenish, margined above and below by a very narrow black line. Labium drab or yellowish, more or less obscured peripherally by reddish brown. Rear of head black centrally and above, pale yellowish green (brown- ish in dried specimens) laterally. Thorax rather slender, dark rich brown with a reddish or coppery tinge. Dorsal bands yellowish green, 3.5-4 mm. long, separated by about 4 mm. atthe pointed lower ends, converging upwards to the antealar sinus, their breadth in- creasing to about I mm. at the middle and 1.5 to 2 mm. at | upper end, where they are separated by I-1.5mm.; outer margin more or less strongly curved outwards at the upper ends. A transverse green spot in each antealar sinus, and generally also a darker green humeral streak. Lateral bands bright yellow or greenish yellow, often blue at upper end, rather narrow, straight and surrounded by a diffuse black margin. First band rounded at lower end, where it is 1.25- 1.5 mm. broad, narrowing to .6 or .8 mm. at the middle and generally giving off caudad at upper end a small triangular offshoot. Second band .75-1.25 mm. broad, equal or slightly constricted by a slight excavation of the hind margin; upper WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA_ 167 end often with a narrow cross-bar. There are also frequently one or two small greenish spots at the metastigma and another farther dorsad. Spots at bases of wings above yellowish green, interalar spots pale blue and greenish blue. Abdomen about five times as long as thorax, strongly constricted at 3, which is generally longer than in most species, elsewhere fairly broad though not deep. Seg. 1 without a distinct ventral tubercle. Auricles with 4 (rarely 3) teeth. Tergal areas on each side of penis moderately elevated with numerous spinules, their margins somewhat approximated but less so than in Ae. palmata. Spines of anterior lamina well- developed, projecting caudad a little beyond the hamular processes, their apices curved somewhat more abruptly dorsad than in palmata and constricta. Hamular processes smaller than in these two species, their antero-lateral surfaces concave and separated from the rounded inferior surface by an in- distinct arcuate ridge; apical margins truncate; inner margins approximate in front, divergent behind, where they are in unbroken continuity with those of the hamular folds. Hamu- lar folds lying directly dorsal to the processes and projecting scarcely any farther caudad, similar to those of Ae. palmata. Seg. 3 nearly or quite one-third longer than 1+2, or 4. Lateral carinae of 7 and 8 strongly approximated in the basal third, being separated there by a space about one-half as broad as at apex and appearing strongly sinuate when viewed ventrad. Dorsum of 10 smooth, without a tooth. Superior appendages as long as 9+10, dull brown, shaped as in Ae. palmata, the only differences being the paler colour and slightly shorter preapical spine. Inferior appen- dage pale horn colour, darkened at apex and along lateral margins, otherwise as in palmaia. Colour-pattern of abdomen—Seg. 1 fuscous; dorsal spot blue, narrow; lateral spot absent. Seg. 2 fuscous, spots reduced. AD obsolete ; AML yel- low or greenish yellow, rhomboid, about 1.2 mm. in diameter, the upper posterior angle confluent above with MD. PLand PD separate, the former greenish yellow, the latter blue, forming a band half as broad as the posterior part of the segment, with a concave front margin, from which a narrow 168 WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA green streak passes forward in the middle line, sometimes ex- panding to form a large diffuse green spot. - Segs. 3-10 dark brown with a greenish tinge, most of ch spots green or greenish blue, and so reduced as to give the whole insect as unusually dark appearance. AD a minute elongate greenish spot connected on 4-7 with a narrow pale green basal ring. MD on 3-7, well-developed triangular greenish spots, separate from ML, except sometimes on 3, often represented on 8 by a pair of minute dots. PD much reduced but variable, .8-1.25 mm. long on 3, decreasing and narrowly separated mesially to 7, where they measure .4-1 mm., somewhat larger and more widely separated on 8 and 9, diffuse and of variable size on 10. Frequently they are grass- green or yellowish green throughout, but often the first one or two pairs are pale blue, the remainder green. AL on 3-6 or -7; on3 reduced to a triangular bluish green or blue spot, occupying the antero-ventral angle of the segment; on the others a small rounded pale greenish spot, unconnected with the basal.ring and becoming a mere dot on 6 or 7.. ML on 3- or 4-8, pale green or greenish blue, small and subquadrate on 3 and 4, then rapidly enlarging to 7, those on 7 and 8 being particularly large and more rounded than the others. PL on 3-6 or -7, small pale greenish elongate spots, becoming minute caudad, widely separate from PD, except sometimes on 3, where they may be narrowly confluent. There is also a pair of large pale bluish basal spots on the ventral surface of 4-6. Wings with a faint ieeterntiel tinge, distinctly shorter than the abdomen, costal veins. brownish olivaceous; pter- ostigma dark smoky brown, paler beneath; membranule whitish in proximal half, dark brown distally; anal triangle with 3 cells; generally 2 cells between A2 and A3 at their origin; Rs in fore wing forking opposite the second to the fourth postnodal cells before the stigma, in hind wing opposite the second to fourth cell; 3 or 4 rows of cells between the forks at the level of the distal end of the stigma and 4: to 7 cells between the forks at the wing-margin. Four to 5 rowsof cells between Rs WALKER: NorRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA_ 169 and Rspl, where most widely separated. Mta arising before the middle of the stigma (occasionally at the middle). Antenodals 2°, postnodals 12 Gur 2 Spe aes ay II -16 13-20 4-6 2-3 (rarely 1) Female—Abdomen a little less than five times as long as thorax; dorsum of 9 distinctly shorter than that of 8 and about half as long as that of 7. Genital valves extending slightly beyond the posterior margin of 9, in profile moderately arcuate, the apices very slightly elevated. Lateral carinae percurrent, prominent, in profile nearly straight, in ventral view arcuate, the interven- ing space lanceolate, broadest at two-fifths of the length, the breadth here being equal to about two-fifths the length, tapering distad to the narrow rounded apices. Ventral sur- face of valves declivent and flat in the basal fifth, sulcate distally, becoming deeply so at the apices. Styli .75-1 mm. long, distinctly shorter than dorsum of 10. Free margin of basal plate of ovipositor slightly arcuate. Lateral plates distinct. Appendages thin and delicate, generally broken off except in tenerals, about as long as 8+9, tapering much more grad- ually towards the base than the apex; greatest breadth be- yond the middle and equal to about one-fifth the length; curve of inner margin somewhat stronger than that of the outer margin; apices rounded, sometimes terminating in a more or less obscure point. The colour-pattern corresponds closely to that of the male and there is apparently no tendency to dimorphism. The face tends to be somewhat darker in the male; the dorsal thoracic bands are of a duller green and often more or less obscured with brown, being frequently invisible in dried specimens. They are also narrower and generally divided into an upper and lower spot; the former small, the latter more elongate. The lateral bands are often obscured at the extreme upper ends. Abdomen somewhat paler brown than in the male, the dorsal spot on 1 and PD on all the segments green, the latter still more reduced than in the male, except on the apical three I2 170 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA or four segments. AL and ML pale greenish or nearly white, similar in size to those of male. PL larger, often confluent with PD on 2-3 or -4. Wings often quite deeply flavescent, this colour extending to the apices; pterostigma pale brown. Measurements (excl. Anticosti specimens)—Thor. ¢@ 9.3- II, 9 8.5-9.75; abd. o& 48.5-54.5, 2 44-50.75; seg. 3 co! 8.75- 10.33, 9 6.5-8; seg. 9 9 2.33-2.75; apps. & 5.33-6, 2 5.4-6.9; gen. Vv. 2.66-3.25; h. w. oc 42-46.5, 9 43.5-46.7 ; width h.w. J'12.5-14, 9 13.6-14; pter. oc 2.66-3, 2 3.3-3.66. Measurements of Anticosti specimens—Thor. & 9-9.25, ¢ 9; abd. o& 44-48, 2 44; seg. 3 o'7.8-8.4, 9 6.5; seg. 9 92.5; apps. o& 5-5.2; gen. v. 2.4; h.w. co" 40-41.5, 2 41; width h.w. of 11.5-12, 2 12; pter. of 2.7-3, 2 3.2. Types—o' 2, United States National Museum—De Grassi Point, Ontario. Nymph (pl. 4, figs 1-3;pl.7, fig.2; pl. 9, fig.2; pl. 11, fig. 2)— Eyes very prominent, the antero-posterior and transverse diameters about equal; lateral margins of head nearly straight, about half longer than the interocular space, or equal to two- fifths of the length of the hind margin; postero-lateral angles of head prominent but well rounded; hind margin slightly emarginate. Mentum of labium strongly narrowed in the proximal half, but considerably expanded distally, the breadth at base being much less than half that at apex, which is equal toabout three-fourths of the length; sidesstraightand slightly divergent from the base to slightly beyond the middle, thence strongly arcuate; middle lobe broadly obtusangulate; lateral lobes broad, equal, squarely truncate; outer apical angle scarcely rounded, inner angle terminating in a small tooth. Supracoxal processes well developed, conical, the poster- ior larger and somewhat stouter than the anterior, and usually slightly recurved, the intervening space generally a little greater than a right angle. Abdomen comparatively slender, broadest about seg. 6 or 7; lateral spines present on 6-9, those on 6 extending one- third to one-half of the distance to the hind margin of the segment; on 7 to the margin or nearly so; on 8 to the margin or slightly beyond; on g to the middle of 10. Lateral append- WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA I7I ages about three-fifths as long as the inferior pair, very slender in the female but somewhat stouter in the male than in jun- cea and the clepsydra group, and tapering somewhat suddenly in the distal third or fourth, the apices very slender and fine- pointed. Basal part of superior appendage of male about one- fourth longer than its basal breadth and one-half shorter than the lateral appendages; sides somewhat concave, apex bluntly rounded. Genitalia of female extending barely to the posterior margin of 9; genital valves rather steeply declivent, about three times as long as broad. Colour dull dark brown, more or less distinctly spot- ted with pale yellowish, the degree to which the pale markings are obscured varying greatly. Head with a pale lateral marginal band and a submarginal pale spot just behind each eye. The marginal bands are continued caudad across the lateral portions of the pronotum to the meso- and meta- thorax, where they become much broader, but diffuse and often obscure, covering the whole thoracic dorsum, or sometimes broken into spots; sides of thorax dark brown. Legs dark brown, femora and tibiae each with three pale rings, the form- er having sub-basal, median and preapical rings. Tarsal joints pale, darkened distally. Abdomen rather dark brown, varied with pale yellowish and brownish, the pale markings often almost entirely obscured. A broad medio-dorsal pale band with slightly undulate margins extends the whole length. Anteriorly it is well defined and about 4-5 mm. broad but posteriorly it becomes gradually narrower and less distinct. Fhis band is more or less darkened mesially by a series of pairs of dark basal blotches, which run together on the more proximal segments and sometimes throughout the whole length of the abdomen to form an irregular median double dark band. Lateral scars pale, distinctly outlined with dark brown; in front of each, on the middle segments, is a basal transverse series of alternate pale and dark spots, about three of each, the outermost of the former occupying the antero-lateral angle of the segment. Spines pale, tipped with black. Lateral and dorso-lateral punctae nearly black; dorsal punctae no darker than the ground colour. 172 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Measuremenis—Length of body 38.5-43.5; mentum of lakium 6-7; h.f. 6.3-7.5; h.w. 8-11; inf. apps. 4-4.5; gen. 9 2.3-2.6 width of head 7.4-8.8; width of abdomen 7-7.5. Materi:! deiermined—295 3, 83 9. Nova Scotia: (M.C.Z., 1 o); Pictou, Aug. 22, 1889 (W. Sheraton, Ac. N.S. Phil., 1c’). QuEBEc: Anticosti, Sep . 12, 1910 (E. V. Cowdry, 10 o& 1 9); Quebec (Provancher, M.C.Z., 2 @ ); Hull. Sep. 14, 1907 (Letourneaux, Fyles, 2 &). Ontario: Grimsby, (J. Pettit, M.C.Z., 1 o&) ; Toronto, Aug. 21, Sept. 11, 1907, Oct. 10, 1908 (Walker, 6 & 3 ¢, incl. 4 :eared) ; East of Scarboro, emerged July 22, 1908 (Walker, 1 co’); De Grassi Pt., Lake Simcoe, July 2, Sept. 6, 1904 (Walker, 8 o& 7 9): Go Home Bay, Georgian Bay, Ont., Aug-Sept. 4, 1910 (Huntsman, T. R. Hanley, 30° 2 9); Ottawa, Aug. 7 1907 (Fletcher, t 9); Rostrevor, Muskoka, Sept. 15, 1907 (Gibson, 1 o’) Port Sidney, Muskoka (Brodie, 1 &); North River and Little Jo Creek, Algonquin Park, Aug. 29, 30, 1902 (Walker, 1 @ 1 9); Temagami District, Sept. 1-13 1908 (Walker,13 &@ 5 G, pair in cop., Sept. 13); Heyden, Algoma, July 30-Aug. 4, 1906 (Williamson, 17 o 2 @) ; Search- mont, Algoma, Aug. 6, 1906, Aug. 23, 1907 (Williamson 3 o ); Root River Algoma, Aug. 4-7, 1907 (Donaldson, 3 o; Sault Ste. Marie, Sept. 6-Oct. 5, 1907 (Donaldson, 27 & 5 2); Nipigon, Aug. 28-30, 1907, Sept. 5, 1910 (Walker, 3 o&\ 1 9); Fort William, Aug. 26, 27, 1907 (Walker, 12 o); Rainy River District (H. Cook, 1907, 2 o&). MANITOBA: Winnipeg Beach, Sept. 6, 1909 (J. B. Wallis, 1 co); Hilton and Treesbank, July 28, 1910 (J. B. Wallis, 2 co). Marne: Manchester, July 6-Oct. 6, 1888-1910 (Miss Wads- worth, 33 o& 8 @., in cop., July 6 and 7, Sept. 27, 1906); Augusta, Sept. 16, 1910, (Miss Wadsworth, 1 9); Norway, (S. J. Smith, M.C.Z., 2 @&,2 9); Gorham (M.C.Z.,1 o) ; Millinocket, Aug. 9-Sept. 7, 1903 (F. L. Harvey, coll. Williamson, 6 o 4 @ ); Russell Stream, N.E. Corry, Aug. 28, 1899 (F. L. Harvey, 5 0”); Bradley, Aug. 2, 1899 (Harvey, 1 o); Greenfield, Sept. 8, 1897 (Harvey, U.S.N.M., 1 o”); Six Ponds,Pisc. Co., Sept. 14, 1898,(Harvey, U.S.N.M., 3 o'); New HAmpsHirE: Franconia (Mrs. Slosson, U.S.N.M., 3 o&); White Mountains, Aug. 15, 1896 (F. H. Sprague, M.C.Z., 2 co); id., Aug. 7 (M.C.Z., 1 o& 2 9); Hermit Lake, White Mountains, Aug. 29, 1862 (Scudder, M.C.Z., 10”) Centre Harbour, July (M.C.Z., 19). Massacnusetts: (M.C.Z., 2 o'2 2); Boston, Sept. 6 (B.S.N.H., 1 o&*) ; Cambridge, Sept. (M.C.Z.,2 9); Amherst, Aug. 5, 1902 (Needham, 1 o’); Wilbrahim (J. O. Martin, coll. Needham, 1 o'); Auburndale, Sept. 11 (B.S.N.H., 1 co). Gor Head, Martha’s Vineyard, Aug. 25, 1904 (B.S.N.H., 1 o').. NEw York: Caro, Aug. 19, 1897 (Calvert, 1 9); Catskill Mts., Aug. 28 (E. M. Aaron, Ac. Nat. Sc. Phil., 1 &); Lake St. Regis, Franklin Co., Sept. 22, 1890 (Ac. Nat. Sc., 1 9); Clyde, Aug. 30, 1902 (Nelson R. Wood, U.S.N.M., 1 o*); Oneida, Aug. 1, 1902 (Mrs. S. A. Maxon, U.S.N.M., 1 o*): Ellenville, Aug. 20, 1907 (Needham, 1 co’); West Point, Sept. 1874 (Uhler, M.C.Z., 1 &); Dobb’s Ferry, Aug. 24, 1888 (Calvert, 1 @); New York (Riley, U.S.N.M., 1 o& 19). PENNSYLVANIA: Delaware Co., Sept. 5, 1889, Sept. 10, 24, 1891 (Calvert, 3 o& I 9): id., Oct. 1, 1893 (Calvert, pair 1m cop.); Alleghany Co., Oct. 9, 1898, Oct. 6, 1901, Aug. 6-Oct. 13, 1903, Sept. 25, 1904, Sept. 20, Oct. 6, 1908 (J. L. Graf, 31 ot 1 9); id., June 18, 1899 (Graf., 1 9 teneral); Morton, Oct. 3, 1889 (Ac. N.S. Phil. 1 9); Ohio Pyle, Oct. 1, 1905 (Williamson, 2 o); Sunbury (D.C. Heim, coll. Calvert, 1 o&); Winthem, (Hagen, M.C.Z. 18); District oF CoLumBiA: Takoma, Sept. 16, 1899 (J. A, Nilliams, U.S.N.M.,1 9). MaryvLanp: (Uhler,1858, M.C.Z., 1 co") ; Baltimore (M.C.Z., 1 oc). Vircinta: Mountain Lake, Aug. 25, 1899 (W. R. Maxon and C. C. Pollard, U.S.N.M., 3 co’ 19); Rosslyn (N. Banks, U.S.N.M., 1 o@). TENNESSEE: (L. Thomas, Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 9); Roan Station, Sept. 3, 1901, (Ac. N.S. Phil.,1 9). Onto: (U.S.N.M., 1 o*): Clarkston, Oct. 13, 1901 (Williamson, 2 o'); Medina, Aug. 20, 1897 (J. S. Hine, U.S.N.M., 1 co). INDIANA: Ft. Wayne, Sept. 18, 1906, Sept. 15, 1907, Aug. 23, Sept. 13, 1908 (Williamson, 24 o 2 ¢); Bluffton, Sept. 18, 1904; Aug. 25, Sept. 13, 1905, Aug. 26, 1906 WaLKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 173 Sept. 15 1907 (Williamson, 4 @ 2 9 ); id., Aug. 30, 1908, (1 @ teneral); Whitby Co., Sept. 2, 1897 (Williamson, 1c¢’ 19). MICHIGAN: Oden, Aug. 8- 15, 1906 (Williamson, 2 co’ 2 9); Minnehaha Falls, Emmet Co., Aug. 23, 1907 (Williamson, I co’); Wisconsin: Milwaukee Co., Aug. 24, 1902, Aug. I, 1907 (C. G. Brown, Muttkowski, I o& 1 @). NEBRASKA: Loretto, Sept. 1, 1906 (coll. W. J. Fraser, 1 9). Also 22 o’9 9 without data. Nymphs—Nipigon, Ont., Aug. 7, 1910, 1¢’ exuvia; Go Home Bay, Aug. 8, 1908, 1 spec. (St. B); Aug. 7, 1908, 1 9 exuvia from reared imago ; also exuviae 16°19. De Grassi Point, Ont., July 15-20, 1910, exuviae 2o’ 292. Toronto, Ont., May, 1908, 167 32 (St. H—St. F also common) ; July 21-Sept. 1, 1908, exuviae from reared nymphs 2072 9 ; also exuviae 5c’ 59. Ithaca, N.Y. (cold brook) 1 o@ (St. F) 2 9 (St. F) (Needham). Also the following without data (Ontario and New York State)—30 29 (St. F), 4c’ (St. E), 367 39 (St. D), 3 spec. (St. C.) Distribution—Carolinian to Canadian Zones, probably ranging also into the Hudsonian Zone, as the record of Ae. constricta from Labrador (Hagen ’61) doubtless belongs to this species. The race uwmbrosa probably grades into occt- dentalis in the west. This is the commonest species of Aeshna in North American collections. Geographical variations—This species is subject to the usual variations in form depending upon climatic conditions (vide p. 26). It varies also slightly in size in different parts of its range. The largest average size is exhibited by Ohio and Indiana specimens, the smallest by those from Anti- costi. Northern examples are most like the race occidentalis in coloration, the face being generally pale, the lateral thoracic bands of the male bluishat their upper ends, and the PD spots less reduced than in the more southern specimens and blue on the basal three or four segments in the male. In specimens from Lake Simcoe, Ont., and southward there are usually no traces of blue, except on segs. I and 2, and the PD spots are greatly reduced. Habitts—This common dragonfly differs considerably from our other species of Aeshna in its habits. It does not frequent open marshes but flies along woodland streams, ditches, or small pools on the edges of woods. It is also common in more or less shady glades and paths in woods and is most often seen in flight late in the afternoon and at dusk. Adults begin to appear about the end of June but the period of emergence seems to be irregular; so some individuals do not come out until nearly the end of August. It is the last species to remain on the wing in the autumn, sometimes 174 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA flying, in the vicinity of Toronto, as late as the second week in October, and probably considerably later farther south. The nymphs are common in woodland streams, small pools and ditches, and sometimes occur in considerable numbers. They are very like those of the European Ae. cyanea in both appearance and habits. They appear to be the only Aeshna nymph, that is at all easily obtainable in the full-grown state, in eastern North America. Aeshna umbrosa occidentalis subsp. nov. (Pl. 26, fig. 5.) Differs from race uwmbrosa mainly in the blue colour of nearly all the abdominal spots, and the much larger size of PD, which is somewhat reduced only on g and 10, being elsewhere as large as in most other species of Aeshna. The abdomen is somewhat shorter and stouter at seg. 3 than in typical specimens of umbrosa, generally resembling that of Anticosti specimens, though varying considerably with lo- cality. Occiput lemon-yellow; frontal vesicle greenish yellow; T-spot 2-2.3 mm., stem .25-.33 mm. broad in front, sometimes expanding a little caudad. Face pale green, generally of a bluish shade; avery fine brown line often present on the fronto- nasal suture; rhinarium plumbeous; labrum pale green; labium dull yellow, brownish or drab, the lateral lobes some- times slightly plumbeous. Rear of head black above, pale brown in lower half. Thorax a little stouter as a rule than in race umbrosa, marked as in northern examples of that race,i.e., colour red- dish brown, dorsal bands yellowish green, antealar sinus pale green, lateral bands yellow passing into pale blue at the upper ends, surrounded by a nearly black margin. Abdomen brownish black, the spots all blue except MD (dull greenish), PD on 10 (dull greenish) and sometimes AML on 2, which may be blue or green. The spots are similar in form to those of race umbrosa, except PL and PD, the former being considerably, the latter much, larger. PD is in fact as large as in constricta and many specimens of palmata, except on 9 and 10, where it is more or WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 175 less reduced. On 1-6 they are separated only by the median carina, on 7 a little more widely, while on 8 and 9g the inter- vening space is nearly 1 mm. broad behind, the inner margins strongly divergent cephalad. On 10 they may be connate behind, but are always more or less indistinct and apparently sometimes absent altogether. On the ventral surface of 4, 5 and 6 there is a pair of large basal spots as in race umbrosa, but they are blue instead of green. The female differs but very slightly from that of um- brosa, thelargersizeof PD and PL and the usually paler face and slightly shorter average length of the abdomen being the only characters by which they can be separated. The wings vary from hyaline to distinctly flavescent. Measurements — Thor. o 9.7-10.5, 2 9-10.25; apps. m. 5-5.5, 9 5-6; h.w. 9 41-46.5, 2 38-45; width hw. of 12.3-13.5, 9 12.5-14. Types-o' 9, Bluffton Public Museum—New Bridge, Ore- gon. Material determined —51 o& 11 @. BriTISH CoLUMBIA: Greenwood, Oct. 1, 1906 (W. J. Alexander, call Walker, I o'); Bear Lake, July 21, 1903 (Currie, U.S.N.M., 19 teneral); Wellington, Vancouver Is., Sept. 2, 1903 (H.G Dyar, U.S.N.M., 1 o); Langford Lake, Victoria, July 20, 1902 (coll. Williamson, 1 o'). WasHINGTON: Colfax (L. O. Howard, U.S.N.M., 1 o); Almota, Aug. 1894 (coll. Calvert, 1 9); Skokomish River, (T. Kincaid, Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 9) Seattle, July 6, 1892 (Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 co). OrecGon: (Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 ); New Bridge, Sept. 8-18, 1909 (C. H. Kennedy, 29 o& 2 9); Le Grande Val- ley, Sept. 30, 1909, (Kennedy 2 co’); Pine Valley, Sept. 23 (Kennedy, 13 o); Carson, Sept. 22, 1902 (Kennedy, 4 9 9). NEVADA: Reno, (Morrison, M.C.Z., Io'1I 9). Cavirornia : (Calvert, 1 <’). Nymph—Dr. Ris has sent me a full-grown female nymph of Ae. umbrosa from the Yosemite Valley, Cal., dated July 26, 1907. It does not differ in any way from the nymph of the race umbrosa, but on account of the locality it doubtless belongs to occidentalis. Distribution—British Columbia to California and Ne- vada, probably grading eastward into the race umbrosa. Habits—Mr. Kennedy has taken this form in Oregon, flying along ditches. Its habits are probably not different from those of the eastern race. 176 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Aeshna constricta Say. (Pl. 2, figs. 1-4; pl. 3, figs. 5, 6; pl. 14, fig. 3; pl. 21, fig. 1; pl. 27, figs. 2-4.) N.B.—Undoubted references to the species described here as constricta are marked with an asterisk. Aeshna constricta, Say, Journ. Acad. Phil., VIII, p. 11 (1839); Calvert, Od. B.C.A., p. 180, 285 (1905); Occ. Pap. Bost. Soc. N.H., VII, 6, p. 24 (1905) ; Williamson, Ohio Nat., VII, p. 150 (1907) ; Walker, Ott. Nat., XXII, p. 54 (1908) ;* Wilson, Pr. U.S.N.M., XXXVI, p. 659 (1909) ; Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 109 (1910).* Aeschna constricta, Hagen, Syn. Neur. N.A., p. 123 (1861);* Pr. Bost. Soc. N.H., XV, p. 271 (1873); Rep. U.S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 1872, p. 727 (1873); l.c., 1873, p. 591 (1874); Pr. Bost. Soc. N.H., XVII, p. 34 (1875); Rep. U.S. Geog. Geol. Surv., p. 919 (1875); Kirby, Syn. Cat. Neur. Od., p. 88 (1890); Wads- worth, Ent. News, I, p. 37 (1890); Beutenmuller, Prel. Cat. Od. N.Y., p. 163 (1890); Harvey, Ent. News, II, p. 73 (1891); Banks, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XIX, p. 353 (1892); Calvert, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XX, p. 249 (1893); Ent. News, V, p. 243 (1894); Journ. N.Y. Ent. Soc., III, p. 46 (1895); Kellicott, Journ. Cinc. Soc. N.H., XVII, p. 272 (1895); L.c., XVIII, p. 114 (1896); Calvert, Journ. N.Y. Ent. Soc., V, p. 93 (1897); Van Duzee, Ent. News, VIII, p. 89 (1897); William- son, Rep. State Geol. Ind., pp. 404 (1897); Davis, Journ. N.Y. Ent. Soc., VI, p. 197 (1898); Kellicott, Od. Ohio, p. 83 (1899);* Calvert, Ins. N. J., Od., p. 71 (1900); Williamson, Drag. Ind., p. 305 (1900); Needham, Bull. 47, N.Y. State Mus., p. 469 (1901); Elrod, Bull. Univ. Mont., X, p. 150 (1902); Comstock, Ent. News, XIV, p. 200 (1903); Williamson, Fnt. News, XIV, p. 369 (1903); Brimley, Ent. News, XVII, p. 91 (1906); Walker, Can. Ent., XXXVIII, p. 149 (1906); Muttkowski, Bull. Wis. N.H. Soc., VI, p. 96 (1908);* l.c., VI, p. 167 (1908) ;* Martin, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, XVIII, p. 46 (1908); Cockerell, Ent. News, XIX, p. 457-459 (1908); Martin, Gen. Ins., CXV, p. 11 (1911). Aeschna constrictor, Burnham, Pr. Manch. Inst. Arts Sci., I, p. 32 (1900). A species of average size and rather broad abdomen, the spots of which are of large size and blue in the male. Male—Occiput lemon-yellow, usually a little larger than in the two preceding species, but varying in length from two- fifths to two-thirds that of the line of contact of the eyes. Frontal vesicle greenish yellow, this colour extending laterad to the lateral ocelli. Eyes green and grey-green with a violet area above, bounded behind by a dark brown transverse stripe; paler below; edged behind with bright yellow. Preoc- ular band little or no broader at base of antenne than one of the lateral ocelli, reduced on sides of frons to a narrow black line which fails to reach the fronto-nasal suture. T-spot of moderate size, 2-2.6 mm., stem longer than in palmata and umbrosa, .4-.7 mm. broad in front, expanding to I mm., or a little more, behind. Face pale green, the frons often more yellowish than the nasus and projecting alittle farther in advance of the eyes than in umbrosa and palmata; a fine, WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 177 pale brownish line on the fronto-nasal suture; lateral lobes of nasus obtusangulate, not flaring. Rhinarium plumbeous or brownish. Labrum pale green, very narrowly edged above and below with black. Labium dull greyish to yellowish, more or less obscured peripherally with reddish brown. Rear of head black. Thorax moderately robust, reddish brown, paler than in most North American species of the genus. Dorsal bands yellowish yreen, nearly straight., 4 mm. long, separated by about 4 mm. at their pointed lower ends, from which they converge upwards to the antealar sinus; their breadth in- creasing to about I mm. at middle and 1.5 mm. at the upper end, where they are separated by about I-1.5 mm. A trans- verse spot occupies each antealar sinus, but there is no humeral streak or spot. Lateral bands greenish yellow below, blue above, expanding above the middle, not surrounded by a black margin, though edged behind with black in the lower half. First band about 1.3 mm. broad in the lower half, nar- rowing a little above the middle tosomewhat less than I mm., then expanding again and giving off a small posterior offshoot at the upperend; anterior edge distinctly sinuate about the middle, posterior edge gently curved or slightly sinuate. Second band subequal in the lower half, the breadth at middle about Imm., expanding at upper end by the outward curving of both margins to3or4mm. __Interalar spots greenish blue. Legs black, upper surfaces of femora dark reddish brown; posterior surface of fore femora pale greyish in their proximal half or four-fifths. Abdomen about 4.5 times as long as thorax, strongly constricted at 3; rather broad, the greatest breadth at about the apex of 5; somewhat depressed. Seg. I without a distinct ventral tubercle. Auricles typically with 4 teeth (3-5). Tergal areas on each side of penis moderately elevated, with numerous spinules, the margins moderately approximated. Spines of anterior lamina large and strong, projecting caudad as far as the posterior margins of the hamular processes or a little farth- er. Hamular processes larger than in palmata and umbrosa, ventral surfaces somewhat convex, separated from the strong- ly concave antero-lateral surface by an arcuate ridge which 178 WAaALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA runs from the base to the inner angle of the truncated apices ; inner margins closely approximated in front, divergent be- hind, where they are continuous with those of the hamular folds; the latter similar to those of palmata but better develop- ed, closely approximate in the middle line, the margins pro- duced into a rounded lobe just beyond the hamular processes. Seg. 3 one-sixth to one-fifth longer than 1+2, and two-fifths te one-half longer than 4. Lateral carinae of 7 nearly straight, or feebly sinuate, those of 8 generally slightly sinuate proxi- mally. Dorsum of 10 smooth, without a tooth. Superior appendages dark brown, very similar to those of palmata and umbrosa. The slender basal part is slightly longer and more arcuate, the outer margin in the basal half appearing in dorsal view very slightly convex, instead of straight as in the other species; the greatest breadth, which is at about seven-tenths of the length, is equal to three-elevenths of the latter; the ventro-apical spine is distinctly longer than in umbrosa, less sharply pointed than in palmata, the rounded notch between its base and the apical margin generally broader and the preapical tubercle somewhat lower than in the other two species. Inferior appendages as in palmata. Colour-pattern of abdomen—Seg. 1 reddish brown; dor- sal spot blue; lateral spot represented by a. very narrow pale green line along the posterior margin, sometimes also an ill- defined pale blotch present. Seg. 2 reddish brown; AD absent. AML pale yellowish green below and behind, more or less bluish above, 2-2.5 mm. broad in the middle, extending ventrad along the front mar- gin as a narrow streak and confluent above with MD. PL and PD united, forming a broad blue band, often greenish be- low; the front margin indented laterally and on each side of the mid-dorsal line, where it is connected with an ill-defined median blue spot. An additional blue or greenish blue spot occupies the postero-ventral angles of the segment. Segs. 3-10 black, the blue spots all well developed. AL on 3-8; on 3 blue or green, the upper margins horizontal and separated by about 1.3 mm.; on the other segments blue, the upper margins straight and somewhat oblique. Basal rings absent. ML on 3-8, enlarging to 7, front margin not indented, WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 179 hind margin rounded except on 3, where it is acutangulate or narrowly confluent with PL. MD on 3-8,small narrow pale green triangles, decreasing in size caudad, smaller and more widely separated than in palmata and umbrosa, separate from ML, except frequently on 3. PD well developed, pale blue to azure blue, enlarging caudad, being about 1 mm. long on 3 and 1.8 or 2 mm.ongQ, connate behind on 10 in about 66 per cent. of cases, well separated on theother segments, the inner margins straight and subparallel from 5 or6tog9. PL on 3-4, -5 or -6; on 3a broad truncated offshoot from PD, on the other segments small isolated spots diminishing caudad. Ventral surface of abdomen wholly black. Wings a little shorter than abdomen, costal margin dull ochraceous; pterostigma dark brown; membranule of hind wing whitish in the basal half or three-fifths, smoky brown distally, extending beyond the cross-vein of the anal tri- angle, which is 3-celled. Rs forking at the level of 1 or 2 postnodal cells before the stigma; with 3 rows of cells between the forks opposite the distal end of the stigma, and 3-5 rows of cells between Rs and Rspl, where most widely separated. M 1a arising under distal half of stigma (opposite middle in 5 per cent. of rire an CucrS -6 Spt = 3 (rarely 4) 10-1 I-2 ke Be barely aay ie ne hind wing, con- siderably inflated at base and constricted at 3, widening con- siderably on 8 and 9g, the latter segment unusually long, being as long as 8 and three-fourths as long as 7. Genitalia much larger than usual in the genus; genital valves extending well beyond the apex of 9, in profile moder- ately arcuate, the apices strongly elevated; lateral carinae percurrent, very prominent, in lateral view nearly straight and subparallel; the space between them a little broader at the basal third than elsewhere, the breadth here being one- fourth of the length, narrowing very slightly caudad to the rather broad, rectangular, and oftenslightly divergent, apices; ventral surface of valves sulcate throughout their entire length. Styli 2 mm. long, and longer than the dorsum of 10. pee nodals « 5 he postnodals 180 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Appendages unusually large and strong, rarely broken off in the living insect, a little shorter than 8+9, greatest width a little before the middle and equal to about two-sevenths of the length; margins curved somewhat more strongly at base than apex and the inner slightly more than the outer; apices acute. The markings show the usual differences charac- teristic of the sex. The dorsal thoracic bands are re- duced in width to somewhat less than I mm. and are but little, or not at all, expanded at their upper ends. They are usually as conspicuously coloured as in the male but are often obscured by brownish. The lateral bands have the same form as in the male. Of the abdominal markings AL is connected with narrow basal rings; PD is somewhat smaller than in the male on all the segments except 9, where it is considerably enlarged laterally, extending to the tergal mar- gins; on 8 and g it is more widely separated from its fellow, and on 10it isobscure or absent. PL is large on 2, reaching the transverse carina; on 4, as-well as 3, it is generally con- fluent with PD. In colour great variation is met with and a marked ten- dency to dimorphism is present. In extreme heterochro- matic individuals all the pale markings are bright yellow without a trace of green, the eyes are yellowish olivaceous with a bright yellow hind margin, the wings are strongly flavescent and the whole insect has a decidedly yellowish cast. Such individuals are by no means rare but are less frequently met with than the pure homeochromatic type and the intermediate forms, which exhibit every gradation in colour between the two extremes. A common intermediate type of coloration may be il- lustrated by the following description taken from a fresh specimen captured at De Grassi Pt., Ontario: Occiput lemon-yellow, eyes above grey-green with a deep blue trans- verse stripe, paler and more brownish green beneath; hind margin lemon-yellow. Frontal vesicle, frons and nasus ochre-yellow, the latter two with a greenish tinge; rhinarium pale brown; labrum dull clay-yellow; labium pale drab with darker brownish margins. Thorax chocolate-brown with a ' WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA I8I1 slight greyish bloom; interalar spots pale yellowish green. Wings strongly flavescent, stigma rather dark brown. Fem- ora dark brownish red, the first pair pale yellowish beneath; tibiae dark reddish brown, rarely black beneath. Tibiae, spines and tarsi black. Abdomen reddish brown, D on 1 and PD on 2 bluish; AML on 2 bright yellowish green; MD bright yellow; AL, ML and PD on 3-10 very pale green with a bluish tinge; PL pale green; basal rings pale yellowish green. Measurements—Thor. o& 10.5-11, 9 10-10.5; abd. & 47-5-50.75, 2 44.7-46.5; seg. 3 co’ 8-9.2, 9 7-7.25; seg. 9 9 3.6-4; apps. & 5.75-6.25, 9 6.25-7.25; gen. v. 4-4.5; h.w. SO 43-47, 2 43-46; width h.w. o& 13.6-14.9, 9 13-5-15.2; pter. o& 2.75-3.66, 2 3.5-4. Types—Say's types are lost. Neotype (Hagen '61) o, Museum of Comparative Zoology—Rhode Island, Ill. Nymph (pl. 6, fig. 5; pl.9, fig. 3;pl.11, fig. 3)—Eyes less prominent than those of Ae. umbrosa and palmata, but slightly larger, appearing somewhat deeper when viewed from the front. Lateral margins of head straight or slightly convex; postero-lateral angles of head not prominent, well rounded off; posterior margin of head feebly emarginate about the middle. Mentum of labium about half as broad at base as at apex, the latter breadth being equal to about six- sevenths of the length; proximal four-sevenths expanding considerably, the sides straight; distal three-sevenths more rapidly widening, the sides moderately arcuate. Middle’ lobe broadly obtusangulate; lateral lobes, beyond the base of the movable hook, tapering to a slender, slightly incurved point. Supracoxal processes of moderate size, subequal, bluntly conical ; intervening space subrectanguate. © Abdomen considerably stouter than in Ae. umbrosa and somewhat shorter; broadest at 6. Lateral spines present on 6-9; on 6 extending one-fourth or less, on 7 one-half to two-thirds, of the distance to the hind margin of the segment; on 8 two-thirds of the distance, or quite to the margin; on g as far as the proximal two-fifths of 10, Length of venter of 9 about equal to half of the basal breadth, sides slightly 182 \VALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA arcuate, strongly so at base. Lateral appendages two-thirds as long as the inferior pair; in the male fairly stout and taper- ing abruptly to the slender, sharp-pointed. apices; in the fe- male slender, more gradually tapering. Basal part of su- perior appendages of male scarcely two-thirds as long as the lateral appendages, about one-fourth longer than broad, sides slightly concave, apex rounded. Genitalia of female re- markably large, the regularly arcuate ovipositor reaching back nearly or quite to the posterior margin of 10, or even a little beyond it; genital valves steeply declivent. Colour light brown; head, thorax and legs concolorous. Abdomen with a fine, pale mid-dorsal line between two nar- ° rower dark streaks. Punctae all marked with dark brown, the dorsal and lateral rather heavily. The lateral scars are not distinctly outlined and there are no other dark markings, except faint indications of two lateral streaks on each side. Measurements—Length of body 36-38; mentum of labi- um 5.7-6.5; h.f. 6-6.25; h.w. 8.75-9; inf. apps. 3.8-4; gen. 9 4.3-4.75; width of head 7.8-8; width of abdomen 7.3-7.5. I refer these nymphs without hesitation to Ae. con- stricta on account of the very large genitalia of the female, which correspond in size with those of the imago of this species. The only other species in which the genitalia are comparable in size is Ae. tuberculifera, which does not occur at Whitefish Creek nor any other part of Lake Simcoe, so far as 1 am aware. Constricta on the other hand is abundant and is the common species at the creek. The only other species I have ever seen there are Ae. umbrosa and occasional individuals of canadensis, both of which have been reared. Material determined — 108 o&' 56 9. Nova Scotia: (British Museum 3 0° 3 9). Marne: Manchester, Aug. 1 - Sept. 10, 1889-1910, Sept. 1909 (Miss Wadsworth, 9 o& 7 @). MASSACHUSETTS: Hampden, Aug. 7, I902 Needham, 1 9). QuEBEC: Chateauguay (J.G. Jack, M.C.Z., 2 9); South branch of Nation River, Dundas Co. (A. R. Cooper, 3 co’). NEw York: Hotel Champlain, Watkin’s Glen, Aug. 21, 1890 (Calvert, 1 co); Clyde, 1902 (Nelson R. Wood, U.S.N.M., 1c). ONTARIO: Ottawa, July 26, 1900 (Fletcher, 1 9); id. (Harrington, 1 9); Toronto, Aug. 26, 1908, Sept. 12-27, 1906, 1908 (Huntsman, Walker, 8 o& 2 9); De Grassi Pt., Lake Simcoe, Aug. 7- Sept. 8, 1906-1910 (Walker, 16 o& 10 9). Onto: Medina, Aug. 20, 1897 (J. S. Hine, U.S.N.M., 1 9). Ittrnors: Lake Forest, Aug. 2, 1904, Sept. 2, 1902 (Needham, 2 9); Rhode Island, 1860 (Walsh, M.C.Z., 1c 19). INDIANA: Elkhart (Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 9); id.,Oct. 12, 1899 (R. J. Weith, coll. Williamson, 1 9); Bluffton, Sept. 5-Oct. 2, 1904, Aug. 20, Sept. 24, 1905, Aug. 11-Sept. 22, 1907 (Williamson, 36 o& 10 9); Fort Wayne, Sept. 7, 1902, Sept. 16-18, 1906, Aug. 25-Sept. WaLKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 183 22, 1907, Aug. 30-Sept. 13, 1908 (Williamson, 17 o& 3 9); Crooked Lake, Steuben Co., Sept. 1, 1905 (Williamson, 1 9). Wisconsin: Lone Rock, Aug. 18, 1906 (J. D. Hood, coll. Williamson, 1 o"); Milwaukee Co., July 17-Aug. 24, Sept. 6, 1902, Sept. 5, 1904, July 10-27, 1905, July 16, 1907, Sept. 9, 1908 (Muttkow- ski, C. E. Brown, Mrs. P. Laur, Milw. Pub. Mus., 6 o& 3 2); Coney Island, Mil- waukee River, July 17, 1902 (Val. Fernke, Milw. Pub. Mus., t 9). Sout DAKOTA: Volga, Aug. 29, 1889 (P.C. Trueman, Ac. N.S. Phil. 1 9). Nort Daxota, Fargo, July 30, 1901 (R. C. Osburn, 1 oc’ 1 9). MANITOBA: West- Seis Aug. 26, 29, 1908 (Wallis, 2 o& 1 9). British CoLtumBia: (Brit. Mus., Io’). : Nymphs—Whitefish Creek, Lake Simcoe, Ont., «9 (St. D), taken about July 15, 1910, moulted twice; male died after second moult, Aug, 18, 1910 ; female lived until Dec. 24, 1910. Both acquired fully developed wing-pads at second moult and the female full-sized genitalia (vide p. 48). Also ¢@ 9 (St. D), o' 9 (St. E) and exuviae of full-grown nymphs, 2c 49, Aug. 10, 1910. aise Identity—Say’s type came from Indiana and’ therefore must have belonged either to the species described here or to Ae. umbrosa umbrosa. Hagen’s neotype belongs to the present species, and, apart from this, there is one point in Say’s description which applies to this species better than to umbrosa. This is the statement that ‘‘the posterior inter- rupted bands (PD) might be called rounded or quadrate spots and are largest and more glaucous on the posterior seg- ments.’’ (The italics are mine.) Ae. constricta is more closely related to Ae. palmata than to Ae. umbrosa, but is very distinct from both, especially in the female genitalia. The taper-pointed lateral lobes of the labium is a remarkable and distinctive feature of the nymph. Distribution—Upper Austral and Transition Zones from the Atlantic Ocean to Manitoba and the Dakotas, ranging into the Canadian Zone in Manitoba. The British Columbia record needs corroboration. Habits—This species first appears in Ontario during the second half of July, becoming numerous about the middle of August and remaining until about the beginning of Octo- ber, or possibly later. At Lake Simcoe, where consiricta is common and in some seasons very abundant, it flies over open marshes, pastures and fields, especially near woods, though not often occurring in the small clearings and glades, which are frequented by its congener Ae. umbrosa. It ismost often seen on warm, sunny days, and unlike umbrosa it apparently does not fly after sundown, although in hot still weather I have seen it 184 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA late in the afternoon, flying low over grassy spaces (vide p. 34). When at rest it hangs from the branches of trees or settles in bushes, or even weeds close to the ground. The copulating habits of this species and its mode of oviposition have been described under “‘ General Life History”’ (pp. 38, 44). Whitefish Creek where the nymphs were found is a small sluggish stream, which winds through woods and pastures in its upper part, where it is a mere brook, but near its mouth traverses an open swamp supporting a dense growth of reeds, rushes and sedge. The upper, shadier part of the stream is inhabited by nymphs of Ae. umbrosa, the lower part by those of Ae. constricta. The territories occupied by the two species are not sharply separated but on the whole are quite distinct. Where constricta is most at home, the stream is quite clear of reedy plants except at its immediate margin where there is a tall dense growth of Acorus calamus, Sparganium sp. and several species of tall sedge. The bottom shelves rapidly from the bank and there is no shallow reed-grown area, such as forms the characteristic habitat of most Aeshna nymphs. Thus the habitat of constricta as represented by Whitefish Creek is somewhat intermediate in character between those of umbrosa and the majority of species of the genus. The nymphs appear to be difficult to secure and many > hours of dredging resulted in but few individuals, and none of these were full-grown. The exuviae, too, are not readily seen. They cling to the reeds, near the base, and are often hidden from view. Aeshna californica Calvert. (Pl. 14, fig. 4; pl 17; figs. 4, 4a; pl. 21, figs. 2, 2a; pl. 28, figs 2s) Aeschna californica, Hagen, Pr. Bost. Soc. N.H., XVIII, p. 33 (1875) [no desc]; Calvert, Pr. Cal. Ac. (2) IV, p. 504, pl. XV, figs, 19, 20, 23 (1895) ; Needham and Hart, Bull. Ill. State Lab., VI, p. 41, 45 (1901); Williamson, Ent. News, IV, p. 3.7 (1903) ; Needham and Anthony, Jr. N.Y. Ent. Soc., XI, p. 121 (1903) ; Osburn, Ent. News, XVII, pp. 186,190 (1905); Amer. Nat., XL, p. 396 (1906); Martin, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, XVIII, p. 47, 84, fig. 83 (1908); Cockerell, Ent. News, XIX, p. 455-457 (1908). Aeshna californica, Calvert, Od. B.C.A., p. 183 (1905) ; Walker, Can. Ent . XL, p. 378, 386, 450 (1908); Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 109 (1910). WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 185 A species of somewhat less than medium size, with a rather short broad abdomen. Male—Occiput pale lemon-yellow, rather large, one- third to two-fifths as long as the line of contact of the eyes; frontal vesicle with a large pale yellow reniform spot,or two smaller spots; eyes pure blue, fading below to bluish grey ; preocular band two to three times as broad at bases of an- tennz as one of the lateral ocelli, narrowing on the sides of the frons to about half that breadth, and widening again at the fronto-nasal suture; T-spot 2.3-3 mm., stem two or three times as broad behind as in front, the former breadth varying from 1.25-2, the latter .4-1.4. Face pale dull blue or greenish, yellowish on each side of the stem of the T-spot. A black line on the fronto-nasal suture and another at base of labrum. Lateral lobes of nasus rotundo-angulate, distinctly flaring. Labium pale blue to pale yellowish or dull oliva- ceous. Rear of head black. Thorax moderately dark brown, appearing somewhat pale in dried specimens on account of the thinness of the cuticle and the rather long and dense growth of pale brownish hairs; sutures very dark brown. Dorsal bandsreduced to a pair of small elongate pale spots on the anterior half of the thoracic dorsum, often obscure or indistinguishable in dried specimens, Lateral bands bluish white (often yellowish white in dried specimens) more or less distinctly edged be- hind with blackish; first band nearly straight, about I mm. broad near the rounded lower end, tapering rapidly dorsad to one-half or less of this breadth; second band nearly equal, scarcely 1 mm. broad, curved slightly caudad. Legs black, posterior surface of.fore trochanters and fe- mora in their basal half pale yellowish, Abdomen about four times as long as the thorax, eadicn stout, strongly constricted at 3 but rapidly expanding again, so that the posterior margin of 3 is but little narrower than that of 4. Seg. 1 witha prominent spinulose ventral tubercle. Auricles with 2 or 3 teeth. Spines of anterior lamina well- developed, strongly curved, extending back to the hind mar- gin of the hamular processes or a little beyond; the latter with the inner margins straight and attingent, the apices sharp- 13 , 186 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA pointed and directed cephalad; hamular folds large, mouse- ear-shaped, continuous with the hamular processes, closely approximated mesially. Segs. 5-8 with rudimentary accessory lateral carinae, best marked on 6 and 7. Median tooth-like elevation in dorsum of 10 low and rounded as seen in profile. Superior appendages about twice as long as Io, slender and distinctly divergent in the proximal fifth, thence conver- gent, the breadth increasing to or slightly beyond the middle, thence decreasing very slightly to the bluntly angulate and closely approximated apices ; inner margin viewed dorsad rather strongly sinuate, being strongly concave before the middle, gently convex beyond; outer margin viewed dorsad distinctly convex at base, gently so or nearly straight beyond; in lateral view curved regularly upwards. Superior carina percurrent, rather strongly elevated and arcuate in the apical third, not denticulate; infero-internal margin gently curved forming a low inferior carina: a low sub-basal ventral tuber- cle at about two-sevenths of the length of the appendage. Inferior appendage slightly less than one-half as long as the superior pair, and about three-fourths as broad at base as long, triangular with slightly convex lateral margins and bluntly rounded apex, which bears a pair of minute dorsal teeth; in lateral view moderately curved upwards. Colour-pattern of abdomen—Abdomen brownish black, varied with castaneous; all the spots caerulean blue, mostly well developed. Seg. 1. Dorsal spot absent, lateral spot indicated by a pale marginal line less than 2 mm. long. Seg. 2. Blue spots very large; AML bounded below by the auricle, upper margin very oblique, confluent with MD; posterior part of the segment above the level of the auricles entirely blue except for a pair of oblique black dorsal spots just behind the transverse carina. Segs. 3-10. Black ground colour on the dorsum of 3-5 in front of the transverse carina and behind MD varied with castaneous. AL on 3-7 or -8, very large on 3, covering whole of lateral surface; of moderate size on 4-6, the upper margin oblique; minute on 7 and a mere dot when present on 8. MLon 3-8, very large on 6 and 7. MD on 3-8, greenish blue, WaLKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 187 subcrescentic on 3-6, a pair of dots on 7-8. PD on 3-10, well developed, semi-elliptical, each separated from its fellow by about 5 mm., except on 8 and 9, where they are somewhat smaller, more elongate and separated by I mm. or more; on © 10 as large as on 9, not connate. Wings hyaline; costal veins pale horn-yellow; pterostigma dark brown; membranule of hind wings extending nearly to apex of anal triangle, whitish in proximal half, smoky brown distally, the two areas generally sharply separated; anal tri- ‘angle 3-celled; one cell between A2 and A3 at their origin, in the hind wings; outer side of triangle of hind wing fully 1.5 times as long as inner side; Rs forking at the level of 1-2 post- nodal cells before the pterostigma, base of the fork but slightly asymmetrical, the two branches equally well developed, not or but little convergent at the wing-margin; 2-3 rows of cells between the forks except at the margin,where there are usually 4 or 5 cells; 3 (2-4) cells between Rs and Rspl where most widely separated; Mtiaarising beyond the level of the distal end of the stigma (sometimes opposite the distal end). Antenodals pap postnodals fie Cur om , Spt ai 8-10 g-12 4-5 O-I Female —The usual differences from the male, in form, are present. Abdomen not quite four times as long as the thorax and about equal in length to the hind wings. Genital valves as long as seg. 9, in profile arcuate in the proximal three-fifths or three-fourths, the apices straight, approximated; no distinct lateral carinae nor ventral surface; styli about one-third the length of the ovipositor (.66 mm.); basal plate small, more or less furrowed on each side, posterior margin straight. The most marked difference in the pattern of the abdom- inal spots is the smaller size and wider separation of the PD spots, except on seg. 10. On seg. 2 these spots are frequently separate at the mid-dorsal line as on the succeeding segments and are partly or wholly marked off from PL. The lateral spots are larger and are more or less confluent on 2 and 3 and sometimes on 4. Both blue and yellow females occur, according to Mr. 188 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Kennedy, who has observed this species in life. He has sent me a coloured drawing of a specimen in which all the pale markings are a pure chrome-yellow on a ground colour which is of a more yellowish brown than in the male. In the specimen figured, the only alcoholic one I have seen, the colours were apparently perfectly preserved at the time the drawing was made, and the ground colour was noticeably more yellowish than in the alcoholic male. The face was greenish yellow, labium pale greenish, eyes grass-green with a yellow outer margin; thoracic bands very pale yellowish green; abdominal spots pale green, PD more yellowish than the others. Many of the dried specimens that I have ex- amined appear to have been coloured like the males. Measurements— Thor. @@ 10-11; abd. o& 39.5-43.5, 9 37-40; seg. 3 co’ 6.3-7.5, 9 5.5-5.8; width seg. 2 9 5-5.33; width seg. 3 @ 3.3-3.5; apps. co 4.25-5, 9 4.5-4.9; gen. Vv. Q 1.75-2; hw. o& 38-49, 2 37-40; width hw. o@ 12-12.6, 9 11.66-12.25; pter. & 3-3.8, 2 3.5-3.8. Types—o& 9, Coll. Calvert—Mt. Tamalpais, Cal. Nymph (pl. 7, figs. 3, 3a; pl. 9, fig. 4; pl. 11, fig. 4)—Eyes larger but less prominent than in the other species here treated, except multicolor; postocular part of the head short, the lateral margins slightly arcuate next the eyes, thence passing by a stronger curve into the almost straight posterior margin; mentum of labiumrathershort, about half as broad at base as at apex, the apical breadth a little shorter than the length, expanding distally throughout the length, especially in the distal three-sevenths; lateral margin slightly sinuate, the curve proximally very feebly convex, more strongly so towards the distal end; median lobe slightly produced, ob- tusangulate; lateral lobes slightly narrower distad of movable hook than in multicolor, the outer apical angles somewhat rounded off, inner angles with a minute tooth. Supracoxal processes rectangularly divergent, acute, the anterior of moderate size, the posterior considerably larger, recurved. Abdomen moderately stout, broadest at 6 or 7; in the exuvia, which is deeply convex, at 5. Lateral spines present on 6-9, those on 6 distant from the hind margin by 1-2 times WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 189 their own length, on 7 reaching back as far as the margin or but little short of it, on 8 slightly beyond the margin, on 9 to about the middle of 10. Venter of 9 nearly two-fifths as long as broad. Lateral appendages about three-fifths as long as the inferior pair, slender, tapering gradually to the fine- pointed apices. Basal part of superior appendage of male triangular, one-half shorter than the lateral appendages and about as long as the basal breadth; sides nearly straight, apex acute. Genitalia of female distant from the posterior mar- gin of 9 by one-sixth or one-fifth of their length, genital valves not steeply declivent. General colour (exuvia) dull brown, pale markings more or less obscure or inconspicuous. Head with a group of pale spots between the eyes, including a median and three or four spots on each side of it; a roundish spot just behind each eye and a pale marginal band which is continued across the outer ends of the pronotum. Sides of thorax with a few small pale spots. Femora dark with three narrow, ill-defined pale annuli; tibiae generally also with traces of two or three such annuli. Abdomen, with two dorsal pale bands, which are broad and distinct on the first four segments but become gradually narrower and more obscure caudad, usually being almost or quite indistinguishable on the last four or five seg- ments. Lateral scars inconspicuously ringed with brown, punctae marked with brown, but all inconspicuous. Lateral appendages pale, with basal and median annuli and the apices dark. Measurements—Length of body 33-36.5; mentum of labium 4.5-5; h.w. 6.8-8; inf. apps. 3.75-4.2; width of head, 7-7.3; of abdomen 7 (exuvia 6-7). Material determined—41t #19 9. British CotumBIA: (Crotch, M.C.- Z., 1 o&) Victoria, July 14, 17, 1901 (Currie, U.S.N.M., 3 o& 1 9); Departure Bay, Vancouver Id., June 20,July 4, 5, 1908 (Huntsman, § o' I ?); Diver Lake, Vance. Id., July 23, 1908 (Huntsman, 1 o’); Peachland (Wallis, 1 9). Wasu- INGTON: Sunnyside, April 23-28, 1910 (Kennedy, 2 o' I ¢) id, May 8, I910 (Kennedy, 14 o& 4 @); id. June 12, 1910 (Kennedy, 1 <); Ellenburgh, April 8, 1897 (Needham, 1 9); Seattle, July 6, 1892 (Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 9); Kent, June, 9, 1905 (H. E. Burke, U.S.N.M., 1 oc’). OREGON: Portland, July 8, 1905 (Currie, U.S.N.M., 1 9); Corvallis, May, 7, 1878, June 30, 1896 (Needham, 1 o'1 9). CaALiFrorNiA: (M.C.Z.,2 9); Fresno, April 7-23, 1900 (E. A. Schwarz, U.S.N.M., 1 @ 2 9); Utah Lake, June, 19, 1891 (E. A. Schwarz, U.S.N.M., I o'); Gulf of Georgia (A. Agassiz, M.C.Z., 4 o); Mendocino (A. Agassiz. 190 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA M.C.Z., 1 co’); San Mateo (A. Agassiz, M.C.Z., 1 o'); Sonoma Co., Apr. 27-May 9 (R. Osten Sacken, M. C.Z., 1 o"). NEVADA: Reno, 1878 (Morrison, M.C.Z., 3 co’). Utan: Ogen (Cyrus Thomas, MICZ. 1) Nymphs—Nigger Pond, Sunnyside, Wash., May 10, 1910; 19 (about to transform); 19 (St. F); 19 (St. E); exuviae 10d? 149 (Kennedy). Distribution—Upper and Lower Sonoran. California and Arizona to southern British Columbia. Habits—This species is the earliest North American Aeshna to appear in the adult state. As the dates of capture een above show, it may appear as early as the second week April (California, Washington). Mr. Kennedy found it at seueaes Washington, on May 8, 1910, flying about Nigger Pond in considerable numbers. He observed several pairs tn copula and states that, while thus engaged, they are more retiring than Ae. multicolor and do not indulge in wild nuptial flights. A few weeks later they had left the pond and were ranging freely over the countryside. The nymph was first described from a specimen taken from an irrigation ditch at Tombstone, Arizona (Needham and _ Hart ‘or). It has also been found by Osburn (’06) to inhabit brackish water. Aeshna multicolor Hagen. (Ph 14, fig.:53 pl. 17, figs. 5;5a; pl. 25, figs. aaae Aeschna multicolor, Syn. Neur. N.A., p. 121 (1861) ; Rep. U.S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 1872, p. 727 (1873); 1. €./ 1873, p: 591 (1874); Pr. B.S.N.H., XVIII, 3 (1875); Kirby, Syn. Cat. Od., p. 88, 1890; Banks, Trans. Am. Ent. "Soc., XI 353 (1892) ; Calvert, Ent. News, III, p. 26 (1892) ; Pr: Cal: Ac’ Se:, (2) IV, p. 508, pl. 15, figs. 25, 26 (1895); Tr. Am. Ent. Soc. bode p. 43 (1902); Williamson, Ent. News, XIV, p. 7 (1903); Currie, Pr. Ent. Soc. Wash., V, p. 303 (1903); Ke.\ Vil, ps6 (1905); Osburn, Ent. News, XVI, pp. 186, 190 (1905): Baker, In- vert. Pac., I, p. 87 (1905) ; Martin, Cat. Coll. Zool. Selys, XVIII, p. 48, fig. 45 (1908); Gen. Ins., CXV, p. 12 (1911). Aeshna multicolor, Calvert, B.C.A, p. 183 (1905); Williamson, Ent. News IX, p. 265, 301, text fig. (1908); Walker, Can. Ent., XL., p. 279, 386, 450 (1908) ; Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 113 (1910.) Aeschna furcifera, Karsch, Ent. Nachr., XVII, p. 310 (1891). Of average to rather large size, the thorax robust and the abdomen somewhat short. Male—Occiput pale bluish, two-fifths to one-half as long as the line of contact of the eyes; frontal vesicle pale blue, the blue area separated from the lateral ocelli by a space narrower than one of the latter. Eyes pure blue, of the same shade as the abdominal spots, sometimes pale greenish along the hind margin. The blue colour usually disappears in dried specimens but may be retained to some extent in well Waker: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA I9QI preserved examples. Preocular band scarcely broader, at base of antenne, than the lateral ocelli, continued ventrad on each side as a narrow line on the lower half of the frons and nasus. T-spot 2.8-3.2 mm., stem 1.45-1.66 mm. broad be- hind, .55-.75 mm. in front, sides straight or slightly concave. Face slightly broader than in Ae. mutata. Frons and nasus pale blue or grey-blue with a narrow yellowish white submar- ginal area; fronto-nasal suture ochraceous; lateral lobes of nasus rounded, their margins but little flaring. Rhinarium and labrum greenish, the latter narrowly margined above and below with dark brown. Labium blue, plumbeous or oliva- ceous in dried specimens. Rear of head black. Thorax robust, moderately dark brown with a coppery tinge. Dorsal bands light blue, 4 mm. long, .65-.75 mm. broad, sometimes slightly broader at the upper ends, where they are approximated, and often giving off mesad an offshoot from the lower ends. Lateral bands light blue, sometimes greenish below, straight, very oblique; first band nearly equal, about 1 mm. broad, rounded below; second band generally a little narrower, tapering to the lower end and some- times expanding slightly towards the upper end. Interalar spots blue. Legs black, anterior femora with a pale streak on the proximal half of the posterior surface. Abdomen somewhat less than four times as long as the thorax, moderately stout, considerably constricted before the middle of 3, then rapidly expanding again to the apex of 4. Seg. 1 with a prominent ventral tubercle, bearing a few inconspicuous spines and a tuft of long brownish hairs. Au- ricles with 2-3 teeth. Tergal margins of seg. 2, bounding the genital fossa, strongly sinuate, considerably elevated in the posterior third. Spines of the anterior lamina well- developed, reaching caudad to the posterior margins of the hamular processes, moderately curved dorsad, sharply pointed. Hamular processes rather broad and thick, mesially attin- gent, antero-lateral surfaces concave, bounded behind by an arcuate ridge running from the base to the antero-internal angle, which is somewhat acute. Hamular folds continuous with the hamular processes, rather long and contracted, 192 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA mouse-ear-shaped, closely approximated mesially, the apices strongly acutangulate, outer margins slightly divergent. Seg. 3 as long as I+2, one-third to two-fifths longer than 4, and one-seventh to one-sixth longer than 6. Dorsum of Io with a median and two pairs of sub-median tooth-like eleva- tions, the former relatively small and rounded in profile view. Superior appendages about as long as 8+49, or a trifle longer, slender at base, expanding on the inner margin to about five-twelfths of the length, where the breadth is about twice that at base and equal to about one-seventh of the total length; thence remaining equal as far as the distal fourth or fifth, whence curving strongly downwards and slightly out- wards they taper to the long slender pointed apices. In dorsal view they appear very slender, the outer margin gently arcuate, the inner very slightly sinuate. Superior carina subobsolete in the basal half, suddenly elevated in the distal half into a very prominent angular crest, the apex of which is a little more than one-third of the length of the ap- pendage from the apex of the latter. In profile view a low sub-basal ventral tubercle appears at one-fifth to one-fourth of the length; the outer margin is curved slightly upwards except apically, and above it the superior carina is elevated to a height about equal to the depth of the inner portion of the appendage directly beneath it, this part being bent down- wards to form an inferior carina, which, a little beyond the apex of the superior carina, is produced into a strong spine, directed ventrad and caudad, its apex recurved. The dis- tance between the apex of this spine and that of the appendage is equal to about one-fifth of the length of the latter. In- ferior appendage elongate-triangular, feebly acuminate, slight- ly more than one-half as long as the superior pair, the breadth at base three-eighths of the length, upper surface with a dis- tinct median carina, apex rounded with a pair of small re- curved dorsad teeth; in profile view moderately curved, sub- equal and tapering but little apically. Colour-pattern of abdomen — Seg. 1 fuscous ; dorsal and lateral spots blue, or the latter sometimes narrowed to a mere marginal line. Seg. 2 fuscous; AML blue, extending 1-2 mm. above the WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA_ 193 auricle and a variable distance below it, its upper margin very oblique and confluent with MD. PL+PD covering the posterior division of the segment except part of the ven- tral surface and a narrow brown space on each side behind the transverse carina, which is continued mesad into adark brown oblique streak. Segs. 3-10. MD on all the segments and sometimes PD on 10 greenish, the other spots pale pure blue. AL on 3-7 or -8, the first three orfour pairs connected by a narrow basal ring; large on 3, the upper margins straight and separated by a brown band of about I mm. breadth; of moderate size, de- creasing caudad on 4-7, the upper margins more or less oblique. ML on 3-8, of moderate to large size, irregularly quadrate or roundish, separated from MD, anterior edges not indented. MD on 3-8, rudimentary on 8, elsewhere relatively large, triangular. PD on 3-10, irregularly semi-elliptical, varying in length from about 1.3 to nearly 2 mm., separated mesially by spaces of varying width but always much wider on 8-10 than elsewhere, especially on 9; on 10 they are paler than on the other segments and are larger and better defined than in mutata. PL on 3-5 or -6; short, broad, curved offshoots of PD, with which they are broadly confluent. Wings hyaline; costal veins pale horn-yellow; pterostigma dark brown above, ochraceous beneath ; membranule of hind wing extending nearly to the anal angle, whitish in the basal third or fourth, dark smoky brown distally. Anal triangle 3- celled; A2 in hind wing arising opposite or distal to the last cubito-anal cross-vein before the sub-triangle; outer side of anal loop longer than inner side of triangle. Rs forking op- posite 1-2 (fore wings) 2-3 (hind wings) postnodal cells be- fore the stigma, the fork almost symmetrical at base, and both branches equally well developed, generally not converging towards the wing-margin. Three rows of cells between the forks opposite the distal end of the stigma. Supplements strongly curved; 3 or 4 rows of cells between Rspl and Rs between the points of widest divergence. M 1a arising beyond the stigma. Usually a single row of cells between M3 and Mq in the hind wing, for a short distance just before the marginal cells. 194 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Antenodals eds postnodals bea CuCr 5-6 , Spt es) g-I2 8-13 3-6 I-2 Female—The abdomen is about the same in length as in the male and is not usually very stout. Abdominal seg. 3 is shorter, seg. 4 longer, than in the male, there being but little difference in length between these segments. Genital valves as long as seg. 9, in profile slightly arcu- ate with the apices a little elevated, lateral carinae distinct only apically, elsewhere broadly rounded; ventral surfaces somewhat declivent, not distinctly sulcate. Basal plate with the hind margin straight; lateral plates distinct. Styli scarcely half as long as the dorsum of 10 (.75 mm.). Ap- pendages nearly as long to a little longer than 8+9, tapering nearly equally at apex and base, curve of the inner margin a little stronger than that of the outer; greatest breadthabout the middle, equal to about one-fifth of the length; apices acute or narrowly rounded. The dorsal thoracic bands are narrower than in the male and are either divided into a superior and an inferior spot or represented by the latter alone. They are frequently in- distinguishable in dried specimens. Lateral spots of seg. 2 forming a continuous broad band; brown area behind the median suture broader than in the male, owing to the smaller size of the PD spots which are also somewhat reduced on the other segments. They are not confluent on any of the seg- ments. PL on 3-5 or -6, larger than in the male, often separ- ated from PD posteriorly, connected with ML on 3. I have seen no purely homeechromatic specimens though they prob- ably occur. Intermediate and markedly heterochromatic examples are present in the material studied. A fairly well preserved specimen from Portland, Ore.,and two from Sunny- side, Wash., belong to the latter typeof coloration, while two from Departure Bay, Vancouver Is., are of the intermediate type. Mr. Kennedy makes the following notes on one of the Sunnyside specimens: ‘‘Eyes brown, edged behind with grey-blue, markings of thorax and abdomen yellowish with greenish hue.’’ In these specimens the wings are also some- what flavescent at base and along the costal edge. In the British Columbia females the head is coloured as in the male, WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA_ 195 dorsal thoracic bands greenish, lateral bands yellowish green below, blue above. Spots of abdomen pale green, ex- cept those on segs. 2 and 3, which are largely blue. The ground colour of the abdomen is brown shading into black around the light areas. Measurements—Thor. @& II-12, 9 I1.3-11.5; abd. ¢@ 43-45, 2 43-46; depth seg. 2 o& 5.4-6, 95.8-6; seg. 3 ot 6.5-7.2, 9 6-6.25; seg. 4 co 5-5.25,2 5.4-5.7; apps. co” 6-6.5, Q 5.5-6.2; gen. v. 2.25; h.w. o 42.5-45, 2 44-45; width h.w. oS 13-14, 9 13.5-14.5; pter. oO 2.8-3.6, 9 3.5-3.8. Types—o' 2, Mus. Comp. Zoology. Nymph (pl. 7, figs. 4,4a;pl.9, fig. 5; pl.11, fig. 5)—General surface smoother than usual, more than ordinarily transpar- ent. Eyes large but less prominent than in species of the juncea, clepsydra and cyanea groups; lateral margins of head short, curving evenly from the eye to the straight posterior margin. Mentum of labium about twice as broad at apex as at base, the apical breadth equal to about eight-ninths of the length, expanding distad throughout its length, especially in the distal three-sevenths, though this part is less dilated than in most of our species of the genus; lateral margins sinu- ate, the curve being feebly convex or almost straight in the proximal part, more strongly so towards the distal end. Middle lobe very little produced, subangulate; lateral lobes, distad of movable hook, broad, parallel, squarely truncate; outer angles but little rounded off, inner angles with a small tooth. Supracoxal processes short conical, subequal; interval rather greater than a right angle. Abdomen rather short and broad, strongly convex above in the exuvia, in which the greatest breadth is reached at seg. 5; segs. 6 and 7 being of about the same breadth. Lateral spines present on 6-9; those on 6 mere rudiments, on 7 ex- tending two-thirds to four-fifths of the distance to the pos- terior margin of the segment, on 8 to the margin or slightly beyond, on 9g to the middle of 10 or just beyond. Venter of 9 nearly three times as broad at base as long. Lateral ap- pendages three-fifths as long as the inferior pair, rather slender in both sexes, tapering gradually to the slender fine- 196 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA pointed apices; distal third in the male somewhat excavated below. Breadth of basal part of superior appendage of male equal to about three-fourths of the length of one of the sides, which are somewhat concave ; apex small, rounded. Genitalia of female small, about one- third of their length shorter than segment 9; genital valves not steeply declivent. Colour somewhat dark brown, more or less spotted and mottled with pale yellowish. Head above with a group of pale spots between the eyes, including a larger central spot and three or four smaller ones on each side; a pair of cres- centic spots bounding the scars externally, a spot immediately behind each eye and a lateral marginal band which is con- tinued across the outer ends of the pronotum. Thorax with a number of small scattered pale spots; wings with the veins heavily marked with dark brown, the interspaces pale. Legs dark brown, the femora and tibiae each with three pale an- nuli. Abdomen variable as to distinctness of the pale mark- ings. In well-marked specimens the following can be made out: (1) A series of pairs of subtriangular spots, each pair at the base of one of the segments. Anteriorly the spots are largest and coalesce to form two irregular bands; posteriorly they generally decrease in size and often become subobsolete on the last two or three segments. (2) A series of subcres- centic spots immediately laterad of. the former series be- tween the dorso-lateral and lateral punctae. (3) Aseries of pale blotches surrounding the lateral scars which are out- lined in dark brown. (4) A mid-dorsal series of sublanceolate spots on some of the segments, each spot surrounded by the corresponding dorsal punctae. All the punctae are distinct- ly marked with dark brown. Measurements—Length of body 35-40; mentum of labium 5-5.75; h.f. 6-6.9; h.w. 8-9; inf. apps. 4-4.5; width of head 7.7-8.5; width of abdomen 8.3-9 (exuvia 7-8.5). The nymphs and exuviae upon which the above descrip- tion is based were all taken by Mr. Kennedy at Nigger Pond, Sunnyside, Wash., where they were associated with those of Ae. californica, but occurred inlargernumbers. None were reared, but there can be no doubt that they belong to WALKER: NorTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 197 multicolor, for many of the exuviae were found on May 8, a date that is much too early for any other species of Aeshna in this locality. Moreover the resemblance to the nymph of californica is so close that it could scarcely belong to any species except multicolor, the only near relative of californica in this region; and, indeed, some of the differential characters of the two nymphs closely correspond to those of the adults of these species. Thus (1) the triangular basal part of the superior appendage of the male is more elongate in the multicolor nymph, this structure being the rudiment of the inferior appendage of the adult male, which is likewise more elongate than in californica (pl. 7, figs. 3a, 4a; pl. 17, figs. 4, 5); (2) the number of antenodal veins is greater in both nymph and adult of multicolor in the great majority of cases ; (3) the size of the multicolor nymph is distinctly larger. Only californica was seen about the pond on May 8, when the first lotof exuviae wascollected, but on July 17, when the second lot was taken, only multicolor was present. The first lot of exuviae consisted of both species, the second of multicolor only. Material determined — 45 o& 17 @Q. BritTISH COLUMBIA: Loon Lake, Ainsworth (Kootenay), July 11, 1903 (Currie, U.S.N.M., 2 o&); Victoria, July (Crotch, M.C.Z., 1 o&); Departure Bay, Vancouver Is., June 20, July 4-23, 1908 (Huntsman, 12 &' 3 9); Diver Lake, Vance. Is., July 23, 1908 (Huntsman, I 6’). WASHINGTON: Sunnyside, June 13, July 9, I910 (Kennedy, 7 & 3 9). OreEGon: Portland, July 12, 1905 (Currie, U.'S.N.M.,1 9). IpaHo: Moscow Mt. July 27 (H.E. Burke, U.S.N.M., 1 9). CoLorapo: Fort Lupton, July 22, 1900 (Osburn, coll. Williamson, 1 o, fragments); Denver (E. V. Beales, coll. Calvert, I 9). Uran: Red Butte Cafion, Salt Lake Co., June 18, 1899 (Browning, coll. Calvert, 1 9). CatiForntiA: (M.C.Z., B. Gerhard, coll. Williamson, 4 oI 9); San Francisco (R. Osten Sacken, M.C.Z., 1 2); Savoclito, June 1 (M.C.Z., 107); Claremont (Baker, coll. Calvert, 1 9); Keeler; July 6 (Wickham, coll. Calvert, 1 9); Ontario, July 13, 1907 (Williamson, 3 oo); Los Angeles (U.S.N.M.,-A. Davidson, coll. Calvert, 1 co 1 9); Pasadena, Sept. 5-13, 1900 (Fordyce Grinnell, jr., coll. Williamson and Calvert, 3 o’); San Diego, April (Crotch, M.C.Z., 1%). ArRIzonaA: Winslow, July 31, 1901 (Barber and Schwarz, U.S.N.M., 1”); Williams, July (Barber and Schwarz, U.S.N.M., 1c7).. New Mexico: Beulah, Aug. I901 (Skinner, Ac. N.S. Phil., 1 o&); La Cruces (U.S:N.M., 19). TExas: Pecos River (M.C.Z., 1% 2 9). Mexico: San José del Cabo, Baja California, Oct. 1893 (G. Eisen, coll. Calvert, 1 oc’); Tacubaya, D.F., April, 1899 (O. W. Barrett, coll. Calvert, 1 o&); Santa Maria, Puebla, June (O.W. Barrett, coll. Calvert, 1%). Nymphs—Nigger Pond, Sunnyside, Wash., May 8, 1910, 86°32 (St. H); 15¢' 109 (St. F); exuviae 13c°11 9. Id., July 17, 1910, exuviae 1207 21 9, Distributton—Upper and Lower Sonoran, Mexico (Dis- trito Federal and Puebla) to Texas, Colorado and southern British Columbia. Of the material recorded by Professor 198 WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA Calvert as Ae: multicolor from Costa Rica and Panama, I have seen 1 9 from Irazu (Costa Rica) and 1 o& from the Volcan de Chiriqui (Panama). These belong to Ae. jala- pensis Williamson, as does also a @ from Amula, Guerrero. Aeshna mutata Hagen. (Pl. 14, fig. 6; pl. 17, figs. 6, 6a; pl. 21, figs. 4, 4a; pl. 22, fig. 5; pl. 28, fig. 3.) Aeschna mutata, Hagen, Syn. Neur. N.A., p. 124 (1861); Kirby, Syn. Cat. Od. N.A., p. 89 (1890); Banks, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc., XIX, p. 353 (1892). Aeshna mutata, Williamson, Ent. News, XIX, pp. 264, 301, text fig. (1908); Walker, Can. Ent., XL, pp. 379, 386, 450 (1908); Muttkowski, Cat. Od. N.A., p. 113 (1910); Skinner, Ent. News, XXII, p. 336 (1911). Aeschna multicolor, Weith, Ent. News, XI, p. 641 (1900) ; Williamson, Pr. Ind. Ac. Sci., p. 173, 176 (1900). Aeschna verticalis, Osburn and Hine, Ohio Nat., I, p. 14 (1900). A species of average size and build, with a rather short abdomen, and somewhat long and narrow wings. Male—Occiput dull yellowish (bluish in life?), edged laterally with black, one-third to two-fifths as long as the line of contact of the eyes. Frontal vesicle pale blue above, the blue area separated from the lateral ocelli by a space fully as broad as one of the latter. Eyes in life pale blue, in dried specimens dark olivaceous with a bluish cast. Preocular band about twice as broad at base of antenne as one of the lateral ocelli; narrowed toa hair-line on the lower half of the frons and nasus. T-spot 2.3-2.8 mm., stem about 1.75 mm. broad behind, .75 mm. broad in front, the sides distinctly sinuate, being straight or concave in front, convex behind. Frons and nasus pale blue or grey-blue, pale yellowish next to the ocular margin; lateral lobes of nasus rounded obtus- angulate, slightly flaring. Labrum in dried specimens brown- ish with a very narrow basal and a broader apical dark brown margin. Labium plumbeous. Thorax slenderer than in Ae. multicolor, moderately dark brown with a coppery tinge in dried specimens. Dorsal thoracic bands light blue, nearly 4 mm. long and about I mm. broad, except at the upper ends, where they nearly meet in the middle line justin front of the antealar sinus, and where the breadth is increased to2 mm. Sometimes the lower ends are also expanded. Lateral bands pale blue, nearly straight, surrounded by a diffuse dark brown margin; the first band slightly sinuate just below the middle, about 1 mm. broad at WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA_ 199 the lower end, expanding and becoming diffuse at the upper end, where the breadth is 2.5 to 3 mm.; second band straight and equal except at the expanded upper end, breadth below .5--75 mm., above 1.5 to 2 mm. Legs black, proximal half of anterior femora with a pale streak on the posterior surface. Abdomen four to four-and-a-half times as long as the thorax, moderately slender, somewhat less inflated than usual at base, moderately constricted at 3, then rapidly expanding to the apex of 4. Seg. 1 with a very low ventral tubercle, bearing a few inconspicuous spinules and a tuft of long pale brown hairs. Auricles_ with 2-3 teeth; ventral surface of 2 with a few minute spinules, especially nearly the posterior margin. Tergal mar- gins bounding the genital fossa strongly sinuate, consider- ably elevated in the posterior third. Spine of the anterior lamina well-developed, moderately curved dorsad, sharply pointed, extending caudad to the posterior margins ofthe hamular processes; the latter rather broad and thick, meeting along the middle line, antero-inferior surfaces concave, bounded behind by an arcuate ridge, which runs from the base to the antero-internal angle, posterior margins arcuate. Hamular folds continuous with the processes, elongate, acutangulate behind, deeply concave and closely approxi- mated mesially, their outer margins subparallel. Seg. 3 one-seventh longer than 1+2, one-third longer than 4. Segs 5-7 with traces of accessory lateral carinae about the middle. Median dorsal tooth on seg. 10 appearing very low and elongate in profile view. Superior appendages slightly longer than 9+10, slender in the basal fifth, then expanding on the inner margin to about five-twelfths of the length,where the breadth is a little more than twice that at base and equal to about one-fifth of the length; thence remaining equal as far as the distal seventh, whence, curving strongly downwards and slightly outwards, they taper to the sharply pointed apices. In dorsal view they appear slender, the outer margin gently and somewhat irregularly arcuate, the inner margin slightly sinuate. Superior carina percurrent, low in the proximal two- 200 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA thirds then suddenly elevated with an angulate crest, the apex of which is about one-third of the length of the appen- dages from the apex of the latter. In profile a low sub- basal tubercle at one-seventh to one-sixth of thelength appears; the outer margin is nearly straight except towards the apex, the superior carina raised above it to a height usually much less than the depth of the inner part of the appendages directly beneath it, this part being bent downwards to form an in- ferior carina, which is produced into a strong spine, directed - ventrad and caudad, its apex recurved. The distance be- tween its apex and that of the appendage is equal to about one-sixth of the length of the latter. Inferior appendage elon- gate-triangular, slightly acuminate, seven-twelfths as long as the superior pair, the basal breadth three-eighths of the length, upper surface without a median carina, apex bluntly rounded; in profile view rather strongly curved proximally, more gently distally, tapering more rapidly caudad than in multicolor. Seg. 1 fuscous, dorsal and lateral spots blue, the latter 3-3.5 mm. long, somewhat less than 1 mm. broad. Seg. 2 fuscous, spots all blue. AML with the anterior margin extending I-2 mm. above the auricle and a variable distance below it; upper margin very oblique, continuous with MD; posterior part of thesegment above the ventral surface wholly blue, except a narrow brown band on each side, passing obliquely mesad from the transverse carina, and a dark brown spot behind the auricles. A few irregular blue blotches on the ventral surface also. Segs. 3-10dark brown. MD on all the segments and PD on 10 pale yellowish (green in life?), the other spots blue. AL on 3-7 or -8, each pair except the last connected by a nar- row basal ring; large on 3, the upper margins straight and separated by about 1.5 mm.; of fairly large size also on 4-7, the upper margins nearly straight. ML on 3-8, of moderate size, irregularly quadrate, the anterior edge of all but the last pair angularly indented, those on 3-5 or -6 narrowly confluent with MD. MD on 3-8, the last pair rudimentary, the others well-developed, triangular with the hind edges concave. PD on 3-10, pairs of semi-elliptical spots about 1.5 mm. long on most of the segments, narrowly separated mesially except WaLKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 201 on 8-10, where the intervals are much wider, especially ‘on 10; on which the spots are small and ill-defined. PL on 3-5, generally rudimentary on 5, elsewheré a narrow curved off- shoot from PD. Wings rather narrow, more or less flavescent, the hind pair about as long as the abdomen; costal veins dull brownish yellow; pterostigma dark brown, ochraceous beneath, mem- branule of hind wings smoky brown, with the base more or less whitish or grey, reaching nearly to the apex of the anal triangle, which is 3-celled. Az2 in hind wing arising basal to the last .cubito-anal cross-vein before the subtriangle; outer side of anal loop about as long as inner side of triangle. Rs forking opposite the third (fore wing) or the third to fifth (hind wing) postnodal cell before the stigma, the fork nearly symmetrical at base ; 3 or 4 rows of cells between Rspl and Rs between the points of widest divergence. Mua generally arising opposite the distal end of the stigma but often a little beyond or before the end. Two rows of cells between M3 and Mg in the hind wing, from the point where M4 appears forked to the margin of the wing. Antenodals 7-21, ale as 2? CuCr 22 > Spt 24 its -14 10-13 5-6 2-3, Aiden as long or a little longer than i in the stale, rather slender. Genital valves barely as long as seg. 9, in profile very. slightly arcuate, the.apices a little elevated.; lateral carinae rounded; the ventral surfaces not distinctly sulcate; posterior margin of basal plate straight; styli not quite 1 mm. long. Appendages a little longer than 8+9, slender at base, outer margin straight, inner margin strongly arcuate, the curve at apex a little more marked than at base; greatest breadth about the middle, equal to about one-fifth of the length; apices rotundo-angulate. Colour-pattern—[Colours mainly as described by Wil- liamson, (’08) from a single specimen]. Occiput greenish yellow; eyes dark greenish brown with a narrow green poster- ior border, paler below. Face yellowish green, obscured with brown, margined with yellowish; frons above dull bluish, a 14 202 WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA pale brown line on the fronto-nasal suture; rhinarium plum- beous; labrum pale olivaceous; labium olive-green. Thorax olivaceous brown; dorsal bands divided each into a superior and an inferior greenish spot; lateral bands green, yellowish above. Abdomen castaneous, shading into black around the ~ pale areas, which are green; on the first three or four segments margined with yellowish, in the posterior segments obscured with drabbish. On seg. 2 the lateral spots are connected to form a single broad band, and on 3 and4 ML is confluent with PL. PD somewhat smaller, PL larger, than in the male. Wings strongly flavescent, the stigma pale brown. In the females from Angola, Ind.,and Wilbrahim, Mass., both of which are teneral, the lateral thoracic bands are yellowish white,in part bluish, a possible indication of the homeceochromatic type of coloration. Measurements—Thor. o& @ 10-11; abd. & 45-47.75, 9 48-51; depth seg.2 co 4.9-5.2, 2 5.33-5-5; seg. 3 07.3-8, 97-7.5; seg. 4 oc 3.6-5.9, 2 6.5-6.75; apps. o& 5.8-6.3, 9 6.5-7.5; gen. v. 2-2.2; h.w. o& 44-47; 2 47-75-51; width h.w. co 13-14, 9 14-14.33; pter. o& 3.3-3.75, 2 3-8-4.2. Type— 9, Mus. Vienna—‘‘ North America.” Nymph—Unknown. Material determined—14 o& 49. MAassacHusetts: Wilbrahim, June 5, 1902 (Needham, 2 o 1 9, teneral). Onto: Stewart’s Lake, Kent, June 22, I (J. S. Hine, coll. Osburn, ). INDIANA: Bluffton, June 30, July 2-13, 1907 illiamson, 12 o& 1 @); Angola, June, 1908 (Mary Shafer, coll. Williamson, 1 Q,teneral). ‘‘ NortH America”’ (M.C.Z.,1 9). ; Identity—This species is closely related to Ae. multt- color, but I have seen no individuals that are in any way in- termediate between the two forms. In fact multicolor shows no tendency anywhere to vary towards mutata, exhibiting indeed a marked uniformity of type throughout its entire area of distribution, as far as is indicated by the material I have studied. _The Mexican species Ae. jalapensis Williamson is still more closely related to Ae. mutata. Distribution—Carolinian; Indiana, Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania. Habits—All that is known of the habits of this species has been given by Williamson (Joc. cit.). WALKER: NoRTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 203 LITERATURE CITED. BAKER, C. F. 1905. Notes on the Neuropteroid Insects of the Pacific ' Coast of North America, with Descriptions of New Species by Nathan Banks. Invertebrata Paci- fica, I, pp. 85-92. BALFOUR-BROWNE, FRANK. 1909. The Life-history of the Agrionid Dragonfly. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, pp. 253-258, pls. 33-34- BANKS, NATHAN. 1892. A Synopsis, Catalogue, and Bibliography of the Neuropteroid Insects of Temperate North Amer- ica. Trans Am. Ent. Soc., XIX, pp. 327-374. 1894. The Odonata of Ithaca, N.Y., Can. Ent., XXVI, pp. 76-78. BERGROTH, E. 1881. Zur geographischen Verbreitung einiger Odona- ten. Entom. Nachr., VII, pp. 85-88. BEUTENMULLER, WILLIAM. 1890. Preliminary Catalogue of the Odonata found in the State of New York. Dragonflies vs. Mos- quitoes, pp. 163-164. BRIMLEY, C. S. 1906. North Carolina Records of Odonata in 1904 and 1905, with Corrections of some Previous Records. Ent. News, XVII, pp. 91-92. Brown, J. J. 1891. Flights of Dragonflies. Insect Life, III, pp. 413- 414. 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Ont., p. 110-128. 1911. The Entomological Record, 1910. 41st Ann. _ Rep. Ent. Soc. Ont., pp. 101-120. HAGEN, HERMANN AUGUST. 1840. Synonymia Libellularum Europaearum, pp. 1-84. Koenigsberg, Prussia. 1856. Die Odonaten-Fauna des russischen Reichs. En- tom. Zeitung Stettin, XVII, pp. 363-381. 1861. Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America, with a List of the South American Species. Smithson. Misc. Coll., 1V. Odonata, pp. 55-187. 1873a. Report on the Pseudoneuroptera and Neurop- tera of North America in the Collection of the late Th. W. Harris. Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XV, pp. 263-301. 1873b. Report on Mr. S. H. Scudder’s Odonata from the White Mountains, after an Examination of the Types... Lic; XV; pp: 376-377. WALKER: NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF AESHNA 207 1873c. Odonata from the Yellowstone. Sixth Ann. Rep. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., 1872 (Hayden), PP. 727-729. 1874. Report on the Pseudo-neuroptera and Neurop- tera collected by Lieut. W. L. Carpenter in 1873 in Colorado. Ann. Rep. U.S. Geol. and Geog. Surv. Terr., 1873 (Hayden), pp. 571-606. 1875a. Report upon the Collections of Neuroptera and Pseudo-neuroptera made in portions of Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, during the years 1872, 1873 and 1874. Rep. Geog. Geol. Expl. Surv. West rooth Merid. Engineer Dept. U.S. Army, pp. 9II-922. 1875b. Synopsis of the Odonata of North America, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., XVIII, pp. 20-96, 1890. TwoSpeciesof Aeschna. Psyche, V, pp. 353-355. HARVEY, FRANCES LEROY. 1891. A Contribution to the Odonata of Maine. Ent. News, II, pp. 73-75. 1902. A-Catalogue and Bibliography of the Odonata of Maine with an Annotated List of their Collectors. University of Maine Studies, No. 4. HEBARD, MORGAN. 1910. A few Records from Northern Michigan in the Order Odonata. Ent. News, XXI, pp. 134-135. Howaprp, L. O. 1901. The Insect Book. Odonata, pp. 363-376, pls. XL-XLVIII. New York. KAMMERER, PAUL. 1907. Symbiose zwischen Libellenlarve und Fadenalge. 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