86 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [March, 



was reported as being done in vineyards by the same insect. In 1884 an 

 article appeared on the subject, written by Mr. F. Philippi, who stated 

 that the cysts were produced by mematod worms, and he then described 

 the species as Heterodera vitis, giving a drawing of a European species 

 of worm. It would appear that Mr. Philippi does not need to see a spe- 

 cies in order to describe it, as he had only the galls or cysts, to build upon, 

 the worms were evolved from his inner consciousness. 



About November, 1893, my sons were collecting insects near the Can- 

 queues Baths, and, to my surprise, brought me a lot of the cysts, though 

 there is no vineyard for many miles. I then determined to investigate 

 the matter seriously, and found that some fossorial wasps, of the genera 

 Trachypiis and Sphex, were carrying the cysts to their nests. I next got 

 my boys to find out where the wasps got them from, and so found large 

 numbers in a dry, sandy spot, destitute of vegetation. These were care- 

 fully kept in the hopes of breeding the perfect form, but I got no results. 



In October and November, 1894, I again collected a lot of cysts, and 

 kept on getting them at intervals of a few days. 



Early in December two females emerged, and I got several more where 

 I found the cysts, but as yet I know nothing of the male. The galls or 

 cysts, live on a great variety of Chilean plants, especially on annuals, 

 which explains their presence in places where, during the Summer drought 

 vegetation disappears. 



The insect bred from the cysts appears to belong to the genus Marga- 

 rodes Gurlding, allied to Porphyrophora Brandt, and as Philippi described 

 a worm that never existed I see no reason why we should apply his spe- 

 cific name to an insect whose existence he never suspected: 



Margarodes trilobitum spec. nov. $ Body elliptic, of a dull whitish 

 yellow color, thinly covered with soft hairs, most abundant on the dorsal 

 region. On the underside there are short, stiff hairs, that assist in loco- 

 motion. There is no distinct head, but at the anterior extremity of the 

 body, beneath, are antennae, seemingly S-jointed; the basal joint, how- 

 ever, is pale, soft, and appears to represent the antenniferous tubercle; 

 the other seven joints are of a clear brown color, with verticillate hairs, 

 moniliform and tapering from base to apex. No eyes or ocelli are visible, 

 even under the microscope with an inch lens, nor can any trophi be seen, 

 though there is a depression, near and behind the anterior legs, that 

 probably represents the mouth cavity. The anterior legs are well de- 

 veloped, though small, and armed with strong fossorial cla\vs, probably 

 of use to the insect in escaping from the pupal cyst, and in locomotion, 

 as anchors. The posterior pairs of legs are slender and short, almost 

 rudimental; the tarsi are 3 -jointed, the two basal joints anchylosed, the 

 apical freely articulated; each tarsus has one claw, very large relatively 

 to the size of the leg. EDWYN C. REED. 



