ABT. 1«. GALLFLIES OF THE FAMILY CYXIPIDAE WELD. 21 



less than half width, mandibles 2-toothed, palpi 5- and 3-segmented. 

 antennae 14-segmented, third longest, fourth three-fourths third, 

 gradually decreasing to thirteenth, which is two-thirds as broad as 

 long, last 1.6 times preceding. Mesoscutum uniformly covered with 

 setigerous punctures, broader than long, parapsidal grooves smooth, 

 wider behind, percurrent, their separation behind greater than that 

 between the faint anterior lines, median a mere notch. Scutellum 

 transversely rugose with setigerous punctures, base with two smooth 

 indistinct pits. Carinae on propodemn outwardly curved, inclosing 

 a smooth area broader than high. Mesopleurae aciculate. Hind tar- 

 sus shorter than tibia, second and fifth subequal, claws simple, 

 strongly divergent. Wings subhyaline, veins brown, first abscissa 

 of radius angled, areolet reaching one-sixth way to basal, cubitus 

 about halfway, surface densely short brown i^ubescent. margin not 

 ciliate. Abdomen longer than broad, slightly compressed, second 

 tergite occupying two-thirds its length with sparselj'- pubescent 

 patches at base, ventral spine in balsam three times as long as broad, 

 ovipositor when dissected out slightly longer than antenna. Using 

 width of head as a base the length of mesonotum ratio is 1.2-1.4, 

 antenna 2.1-2.2. ovipositor 2.4-2.8. wing 3.5-3.9. 



Range in length of 12 pinned specimens 3.3-4.1 mm. Average 

 3.85 mm. 



Type.— Cat. No. 18253, U.S.N.M. Type and four paratypes. 



Host. — Quercus agrifolia Nee and Quercus whlizeni A. de Candolle. 



Gall. — Ellipsoidal, often laterally, compressed, 5 by 7 mm., pro- 

 duced by the side of small acorns (4 mm. in diameter), push- 

 ing out between the acorn and the cup and aborting the acorn. 

 When growing in April they are fleshy, greenish, smooth, and secrete 

 honeydew at apex. They drop in Maj', and as they harden and 

 shrink a raised transverse band develops near the basal end which 

 is truncate or becomes excavated. The larval cell inside is large 

 and transversely placed. 



Hahitat. — The type locality is Monterey, California, where galls 

 were collected on Q. agrifolia August 14, 1916, and the flies issued 

 March 27, April 10. and April 18, 1918. From agrifolia galls col- 

 lected at Los Gatos May 13, 1918. one fly emerged April 10, 1919. 

 and one April 11, 1920, and three living flies were cut out November 

 7, 1920. From agrifolia galls taken at Carpinteria April 29, 1918, 

 flies emerged ]\farch 27 and April 18, 1919. From a wlslizeni gall 

 collected at Santa Margarita a living fly was cut out December 1, 

 indicating that transformation occurs in the fall, although the emer- 

 gence is not until spring. Other localities where these galls have 

 been seen on Q. agrifolia are : In San Gabriel Canyon in San Gabriel 

 Mountains, Cahuenga Pass in Santa Montica Mountains, Fillmore. 



