January, 1919] 



The Ottawa Naturalist 



131 



the activity and enterprise of gall insects and depend 

 like the cuckoo among birds upon others to provide 

 sutiable conditions for their young or even go farther 

 and actually prey upon the true gall producers. 

 The former is carried to a very high degree of per- 

 fection in the case of the gall wasps, since the gall 

 "cuckoos", if we might coin a word, resemble the 

 rightful owners of the gall so closely that it is very 

 difficult to distinguish one from the other. Appar- 

 ently the same thing exists, though to a more limited 

 extent, among some of the gall midges and there 

 are cases where it appears quite probable that a 

 plant deformity of a given character may be pro- 

 duced by more than one gall midge, each perform- 

 ing its fair share of labour in the development of a 

 common shelter. The enemies of the gall insects, 

 generally termed parasites, are occasionally so 

 numerous that comparatively few of the gall pro- 

 ducers attain maturity. They are natural checks 

 and when it comes to discussing the ethics of life, 

 it is a little difficult to draw any satisfactory line 



between the gall insects, real parasites upon plants, 

 the associates or cuckoo-like species which subsist 

 at the expense of these plant parasites or the parasites 

 of the gall insects, since they are all engaged in 

 wresting life from other forms of life. 



The above gives a little idea of the extraordinary 

 interest attaching to insect galls and gall insects. 

 There are in America, something like 1,400 different 

 species and a considerable number await discovery 

 in practically all parts of the country. Man has 

 an innate love for nature and anything which will 

 bring the individual into closer touch with the verities 

 of life is a distinct gain for the human race. The 

 hunting of animals, the study of birds, the collec- 

 tion of plants, are all manifestations of our love of 

 nature. These are excellent recreations and com- 

 paratively well known. Insect galls and gall insects 

 offer a large, accessible and relatively unknown field 

 fcr the student of natural history, which can be en- 

 tered to advantage by a very large proportion of 

 amateur and professional naturalists. 



BOOK NOTICES AND REVIEWS. 



Interesting seasonal data. In the Migra- 



tional Bulletin issued by E. H. Forbush, Ornithol- 

 ogist to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, No. 

 XI, dated Nov. 15, occurs the following: 



"The autumn has been remarkable. Although 

 there were many rains in September, most of the 

 storms were warm and the season has been so mild 

 and open that not only have fall flowers escaped the 

 frost, but spring flowers and fruits have developed. 

 Wild strawberries, raspberries and blackberries were 

 ripening late in October. Many lawns, mowing 

 fields ard pastures still retain their green verdure. 

 From the Berkshire hills to the Atlantic coast the 

 trailing arbutus bloomed late in October, and the 

 common dandelion blossomed again in many locali- 

 ties, besides the fall species, and in some cases it 

 seeded for the second time this year. Both spring 

 and fall dandelions were blooming the first week in 

 November. Willow catkins are now (Nov. 15) open 

 in eastern Massachusetts, and a few flowers still 

 bloom in some gardens. 



The effect produced upon the birds by such 

 spring-like weather was what might have been ex- 

 pected. Not only did many of them sing in the 

 usual subdued autumn tones, but some apparently 

 gave their full spring songs. Even the flight songs of 

 several species have been reported, and the singing 

 of robins, song sparrows and some other species con- 

 tinued well into November. The mild weather 

 seemed to delay the departure of some individuals 

 of several species, and to bring about dilatory move- 

 ments of the waterfowl." 



cen in 



Though the above writer may be mistake 

 ascribing this late floral and fruiting activity to 

 unseasonably mild weather, the facts of the case 

 are interesting, especially the ornithological ones and 

 it would be well for us to see just how widely these 

 conditions and phenomena extended during the past 

 autumn. 



Late fall blooming of spring plants is not a very 

 uncommon occurrence,* almost every season a few 

 violets can be found here and there in the woods. 

 Bloom on such plants occurs only immediately after 

 awakening from a period of dormant quiescence such 

 as is effected normally by the cold winter season, but 

 a prolonged drought in summer will produce a 

 similar effect and it can be artificially produced by 

 florists by the use of narcotics, anesthetics or other 

 more simple means of inducing unseasonable rest 

 which will be followed by the production of bloom. 

 Without doubt, the unusual amount of fall blossom- 

 ing here reported was induced by a previous dry 

 spell followed by wet that deceived the roots into 

 the belief that a new spring had come. It will 

 probably be found that in every such case it is the 

 future that has been drawn upon, that next spring's 

 flowers have been expended and the coming season 

 will be one without floration and sterile for the mis- 

 guided individuals that bloomed at the wrong time. 



*See Ceplias Guillet. On Autumn-Howering of 

 Various Wild Plants in 1900; Ottawa Naturalist, 

 XV. August. 1901, pp. 123-126, in whicli a number of 

 sucli cases are noted, tliough ascribed as above to 

 unusually mild weatlier. 



