A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

88 Japanese Miscellany
the appellation Kane-tsuhe tombo might be inter-
preted as "the ATflwe-stained Dragon-fly." The
wings of the insect are -half-black, and look as if
they had been partly dipped in ink. Another
and equally picturesque name for the creature is
Koya. " the Dyer."
XIX. — Ta-no-Kami-tombo, " Dragon-fly of
the God of Rice-fields." This appellation has
been given to an insect variegated with red and
yellow.
XX. — Yanagi-joro, " The Lady of the Weep-
ing-willow." A beautiful, but ghostly name;
for the Yanagi-joro is the Spirit of the Willow-
tree. I find that two very graceful species of
dragon-fly are thus called.
XXl.^Seki-i-Shisha, "Red-robed Messenger."
XXII. — Yamma-tombo. The name is a sort
signifying a large dragon-fly,
of doublet ; yamma
and tombo any sort of dragon-fly. This is the
name for a black-and-green insect, called Onjo
in Izumo.
XXIII. — Kuruma-yamma, " Wagon Dragon-
fly." — probably so-named from the disk-like
appendages of the tail.
XXIV. —Aka-tombo, " Red Dragon-fly." The
name is now given to various species; but the