THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 91 



of the same hue reaching to the fold and pointing towards a spot of the 

 same hue just within the fold ; a small spot of the same hue about the 

 middle of the costa, behind which is an irregular costal streak of the same 

 hue which extends to the middle of the apical portion of the wing and 

 widens into a large irregular spot ; in the apical part of the wing is an 

 indistinct longitudinal dorsal streak, nearly opposite to which, but a little 

 behind it, is a larger and more distinct streak which is also longitudinal. 

 All of these spots are mixed with or margined by reddish yellow scales ; 

 ciliae white dusted with dark brown. Alar ex. "/% inch. Kentucky. 



The three foregoing species thus resemble each other and differ from 

 the others in ornamentation as well as in the structure of the antennae. 

 They were all three taken in the same situations. 



OX THE HABITS OF CERTAIN GALL INSECTS OF THE 



GENUS CYNIPS. 



BY H. F. BASSETT, WATERBURY, CONN. 



For ten years past I have been studying the habits of the Cynipida? 

 to determine, if possible, whether there are one or two broods of these 

 insects each year. 



Several years ago I discovered the flies of C. q. operator in the act of 

 ovipositing in the young acorns of Quercus ilicifolia, the oak on which the 

 woolly galls of this species are generally found. The insect thrust its 

 ovipositor down between the acorn and the acorn cup, and, late in the 

 summer, the acorns thus stung proved abortive, while around them and 

 often protruding far above the cup were little acorn-like galls, each con- 

 taining a large Cynipideous larva. Several of these galls were often 

 found in each acorn cup. That year nearly all the acorns were affected r 

 and there are more or less thus injured every year. 



I have as yet failed to rear any flies from these galls, probably because 

 I have failed to keep the galls in the proper condition for developement. 



A later discovery, made three or four years ago, was that of two, and I 

 think three species of Cynips in the act of ovipositing in the buds of the 

 oak, Q. alba, just as the buds began to develope, but before the leaves 

 were visible. 



