208 



HYMEXOPTERA. 



blossoms, which act, as applied to this instance of the fertiliza- 

 tion of flowering plants by insects, has been called by Mr. 

 Westwood " caprification." 



Cynipid.e Westwood. {DiploleparicB Latreille.) Gall-flies. 

 In this most interesting family we have a singular combination 

 of zoological and biological characters. The gall-flies are closel}' 

 allied to the parasitic Chalcids, but in their habits are plant- 

 parasites, as they live in a gall or tumor formed hj the ab- 

 normal gi'owth of the vegetable cells, due to the irritation first 

 excited when the egg is laid in tlie bark, or substance of the leaf, 

 as the ease may be. The generation of the summer broods is 

 also anomalous, but the parthenogenesis that occurs in these 

 forms, hy which immense numbers of females are produced, is 

 necessary for the work thej^ perform in the economy of nature. 

 When we see a single oak hung M-ith countless galls, the work 

 of a single species, and learn how numerous are its natural 



V. 





142 



enemies, it becomes evident that the demand for a great nu- 

 merical increase must be met b}' extraordinary- means, like the 

 generation of the summer broods of the Plant-lice. 



The gall-flies are readily recognized b}- their resemblance to 

 certain Chalcids, but the abdomen is much compressed, and 

 usually very short, while the second, or the second and third seg- 

 ments, are greatlj^ developed, the remaining ones being imbri- 

 cated or covered one by the other, leaving the hind edges 

 exposed. Concealed within these, is the long, partially coiled, 

 vcr}- slender ovipositor, which arises near the base of the abdo- 

 men.* Among other distinguishing characters, are the straight 



*Fig. 142. I, abdomen of Cynips qiiercus-aciculdtn Osten Saoken, 'with the ovipos- 

 itor exserted ; II, the same ■with the ovipositor retracted ; III, the abdomen of the 

 female of Figites (Diplolepis) Mineatus Say; IV, the same showing the ventral 

 portion, in nature covered by the tergal portion of the abdomen ; V, end view of the 



